Enemies & Allies
by Cherie Dee
Summary: CHAPTER 14 UP! FIC COMPLETE!! Shinomori Aoshi finds himself in Aizu seeking information about a deadly drug, pulling along an old friend of Okina and Takani Megumi into his investigation.
1. Chapter1

Well, I never thought I'd write an RK fanfic. Let alone one with Aoshi Shinomori. I did write a Sano/Megumi one that I never quite finished, but that's a whole different thing....^_^ Oh yeah, any Rurouni Kenshin characters in this fic, featured or mentioned are Watsuki's, not mine.  
  
  
  
"So everything is going well?"   
  
Kurihana Jiro nodded. "Hai. It is very generous of you to come by and visit."  
  
"Okina speaks highly of you," Shinomori Aoshi responded, setting his teacup down. "And although it has been well over ten years, I remember you and the others clearly."  
  
"So how are the remaining Oniwabanshu?" Jiro asked, a smile stretching over his weathered features.  
  
Pausing slightly, Aoshi replied, "They are doing well. As expected..."  
  
"This new era is very difficult for many to adjust to. I imagine that it had not been easy for you..."  
  
Aoshi lifted his blue-gray eyes to meet a pair of black ones. The older man's eyes held wisdom, and an appreciation for life. Jiro was an old friend of Okina. Before the Meiji, the Oniwabanshu, while protecting the Edo castle, had made many connections throughout their lives. Some became enemies, casual acquaintances, others lifelong friends. In this case, Jiro, his son, daughter, and their families were the third.  
  
"I understand you were offered a position with the new government?" Jiro asked.  
  
Aoshi nodded briefly.  
  
"You said no," Jiro added. It was a statement, not a question.  
  
Aoshi sipped his tea. "I did not plan to work for the new government while my men were unable to use their talents."  
  
Jiro smiled. "Okina was wise in suggesting you to become okashira."  
  
Something flickered in Aoshi's eyes...something the older man noticed. Pain? Regret? It was gone before the older man decided to ask about it.  
  
"You always seemed ready to take initiative," Jiro recalled. Then he added, "Of course, I have been known to do that myself, and not always with pleasant results..."  
  
"How so?" Aoshi couldn't help but ask.  
  
"Some of my men died because I ordered them to protect the lands of others who could not defend themselves. Those times were difficult. I let my guilt affect others who were close to me," Jiro said quietly. "But time heals...it reminds us that we are not perfect...and teaches us that we are not always in charge of our destinies..."   
  
It sounded all too familiar to Shinomori Aoshi.   
  
As if sensing that the young okashira had experienced the same pain, the older man merely wrung his fingers together, a habit that was distracting, as well as occasionally painful.  
  
At the old man's slight wince, Aoshi asked quietly, "Is something wrong?"  
  
"Stiff fingers...I'm told it happens with old age..." he smiled weakly. "The doctor prescribed some medication for me so that motion is less painful..."  
  
"Does his recommendation work?"  
  
"Her. And yes, it does..."  
  
"Her?" Aoshi's brows rose slightly.   
  
"Lovely young woman doctor who grew up here in Aizu. Her father...her entire family...were physicians, most of them died during the fires more than a decade ago. But from what she told me, she survived, lived in Tokyo for several years before finding her brother and moving back here..."  
  
A ghost of a smile appeared on Aoshi's lips. "Interesting how small the world seems..." He had known that Takani Megumi was from Aizu. During her days as Kanryu's prisoner, he had discovered bits and pieces of her history. During a visit to Tokyo last year, he saw that she was still residing as an assistant at the clinic near the Kamiya dojo.  
  
Jiro frowned. "Why do you say that?"  
  
Aoshi merely said nothing.  
  
Hearing a gong, Jiro glanced at the western clock which took up a space on the floor. "It is late. You are more than welcome to stay here as long as you need before returning to Kyoto. I am sure you have much business to take care of..."   
  
"Perhaps you and your family can assist me in these matters," Aoshi spoke up. "Do you know of a chemical being produced...a drug, one would call it...that can be absorbed in many forms?"  
  
Jiro frowned in thought. "I'm afraid I don't understand..."  
  
"Rumors are circulating that Aizu is the center for such a chemical...Victims go into shock and as the drug enters their system, they undergo great pain before dying," Aoshi explained. "The chemical can be ingested, inhaled...It can be absorbed into the body many different ways..."  
  
The old man's eyes rounded. "This is what you're investigating?"  
  
Aoshi nodded. "If I am hearing word of this in Kyoto, it means that some citizens there may wish to get ahold of such a thing."  
  
"And you wish to protect Kyoto from such a chemical?" Jiro asked.  
  
Sipping his tea, Aoshi thought about how to articulate his words. It was not merely protecting Kyoto. The Oniwabanshu disbanded long ago. But they never gave up their fighting skills. And they never hesitated to use them if necessary. Okon, Okina, Misao and the others had adjusted just fine to the new era. But in spite of it being several years since the restoration, many had a difficult time adjusting. All it took was someone with the resources to obtain the chemical and use it to their advantage.  
  
"Even with this new era," Aoshi began quietly, "there are some who refuse to acknowledge its presence. One can never be too careful..."  
  
"What about the police?" Jiro asked.   
  
"It is mere speculation to them," Aoshi responded in his ever present cool manner.   
  
"We can ask around...see if anyone knows about this drug," Jiro suggested. "My children are in the next town visiting friends, but they will return tomorrow afternoon. We can start our inquiries tomorrow morning..." 


	2. Chapter2

Note: The name of Megumi's brother is based off Ashfae's ficcie, Spark/Glow/and one more I can't remember...At least I think it was Ashfae's...if I'm wrong, somebody let me know so I can give credit. Considering it's been more than 2 years since I've seen the series, I had to watch RK Volume 3 (subtitled, of course) just to write this. Boy, I'm surprised how much Aoshi talks...lol. And for some really odd reason, Warrior's Blue (Aoshi's theme), REALLY helps me in writing...  
  
  
  
He studied the streets with keen eyes, detecting all movements. Several merchants were attempting to sell food and other novelties to passersby. Aoshi leaned forward on the table that served as his observation spot. He had spent most of the morning listening in on people's conversations. He had heard bits and pieces here and there, only confirming his suspicions. Those that he felt could provide more information, he had shadowed and listened in during their early morning drinking activities. He shook his head slightly. It was amazing how much a person could talk when they had sake to drink. Plenty of it. Especially before a meal.  
  
He caught sight of Jiro purchasing some type of dessert before heading in his direction.   
  
"Anything?" Aoshi queried as Jiro sat down.  
  
"I was able to gain some information here and there," Jiro answered vaguely.  
  
Aoshi remained silent.  
  
Jiro leaned forward to whisper. "As you said, it can be absorbed many ways...ingestion, inhalation, but also through the skin. All that is necessary is a small surface cut." He hesitated. "And it was created over ten years ago, but it recently came into circulation again..."  
  
"I heard a similar story," Aoshi murmured.   
  
"Do you know who's responsible for it?" Jiro asked.  
  
"No..." He frowned. "When I first brought this to Okina's attention, he mentioned that there was a drug used by a ninja clan many years ago...before I became okashira." Aoshi's eyes narrowed slightly. "Assassins would infiltrate and poison the victim. Because the drug could be absorbed in different ways, it was difficult for others to decide exactly what killed the victim..."  
  
"I understand that symptoms are high fever, chills, profuse perspiration, and extreme discomfort. Stabbing pain at all organs of the body," Jiro said sadly.  
  
"This drug began circulating in Aizu recently...but I have the suspicion that it started elsewhere," Aoshi said quietly.  
  
Jiro's eyebrows shot up. "What makes you think that?"  
  
"I cannot say what leads me to that conclusion, but...there is one way to check..."  
  
  
"He is a stranger to town. And I understand that he is near those who talk. A lot. He follows them. Knows exactly what they're saying. Hoping they will say more and more so that he will gain information."  
  
"We should do something about him. Who is he?"  
  
"I'm not sure. But there's something very familiar about him."  
  
"Old friend?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Old enemy?"  
  
"Most likely."  
  
"What about his companion? The old man?"  
  
"As soon as I get more details, I'll inform you."  
  
"No. It'll only be a matter of time before the younger one discovers who we are...where we are..."  
  
"Should I get rid of him?"  
  
"If you like."  
  
"Our group was never known for being confrontational..."  
  
"So you wish to attack while he's vulnerable? Not very honorable, is it?"  
  
"We aren't known for being honorable. We'd attack the blind if there was something to be gained from it."  
  
A low laugh. "True indeed..."   
  
  
"The clinic is only several years old...it would be impossible for it to contain records of anything farther than seven years," Jiro insisted as he directed the way to his physician's house. "Megumi-sensei would agree to help, but she would not be able to due to limited resources."  
  
Somehow, Aoshi doubted that. He had a feeling that the woman doctor who befriended the residents of the Kamiya dojo would not be willing to assist him. Considering their past history, he could not blame her. Granted, they were civil to each other the last time he saw her in Tokyo, but that seemed so long ago.  
  
"This is the clinic?" Aoshi looked at the two-story structure. The garden was decorated with different flowers, stone paths, and several fountains. Unlike several of the large buildings in Aizu, it was designed with Japanese architecture, very different than the Western buildings that loomed over the streets.  
  
"Yes. This way..." Jiro slid the front door open.   
  
At the front, a woman was sitting at a low table pushed to the side, facing a room full of cushions. The waiting room. At the sight of Jiro, her eyes widened with delight.  
  
"Jiro-san!" she smiled in greeting. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Good, thank you."  
  
"Your hands are okay? Not too much stiffness?"  
  
"No. Actually, I brought someone to see the residing physician. I remembered that Kei-sensei is out on a house call...but is Megumi-sensei available?"  
  
"She's with a patient, but she can assist you. What seems to be the problem?" Her dark eyes regarded Aoshi curiously, who merely studied the paintings that hung on the walls.  
  
"My friend would prefer to speak to Megumi-sensei about it privately," Jiro said quietly.  
  
"Medicine morning, evening, with plenty of water. Can you remember that?" a voice filtered into the room, accompanying the sound of footsteps.  
  
"Hai, sensei!" a young voice piped up.  
  
Aoshi and Jiro turned to see Megumi give her patient, a young boy, a pat on the head before sending him off. The boy ran between the two men before jumping out the door.   
  
Megumi's dark eyes lifted, widening in shock at her visitors. "Jiro-san. Shinomori-san..."  
  
Jiro's eyes widened, and he glanced between the two. "You...know each other?"  
  
"We have a mutual acquaintance," Aoshi said quietly. "Jiro, I believe your family is arriving shortly. You should greet them at your home."  
  
It was his way of dismissing the older man. Jiro had the strongest urge to ask how the okashira knew his physician. But at the unreadable expression on Aoshi's eyes, he decided not to press the issue.   
  
"All right..." Jiro took his leave after glancing at the two.  
  
Megumi felt her lips tilt in a brief smile. "It's been a while, Shinomori-san..." She smoothed back a strand of black hair, letting it fall past her shoulder. Her long hair was kept in braid, convenient during the warm weather, but several tendrils had fallen loose. Her slender frame was covered with a pink yukata and blue smock. "You look...as well as the last time...I suppose..."  
  
He relaxed slightly. His presence was not completely unwanted, then. That would make his job much easier.  
  
"I need to speak with you in private," Aoshi said.  
  
Her eyebrows arched at his request. Then she cast a sidelong glance to her assistant, who was merely staring at Shinomori Aoshi as if he was the only man who ever existed. Megumi bit her lip to keep from smiling. Her assistant had not much luck when it came to finding a mate. Of course, neither had Megumi...but she was a doctor first, then a woman.   
  
"Of course...Follow me..." She stopped at the door. "Ayu-san, if I'm needed, use the chime to summon me..."  
  
"Yes, sensei," Ayu responded, nodding enthusiastically.  
  
Megumi led Aoshi through the gardens outside the clinic. He didn't say anything for a while, and she wasn't completely surprised. It was only when she settled on a bench beneath a sakura tree that he finally spoke up.  
  
"You look happier than you did three years ago," he commented, leaning against the tree, his arms crossed.  
  
While most people would never keep their back to Shinomori Aoshi, Megumi knew that there was no danger. She was mildly surprised at his comment...she would have thought he'd immediately ask for what he came for.  
  
"I am...thank you..." Megumi spoke softly. Then she cleared her throat. "I left Tokyo shortly after your visit...I had located my brother..."  
  
"I see..."  
  
"From what I understand, Ken-san and Kaoru-san are going to start a family...Yahiko is becoming an excellent swordsman...and Sanosuke is traveling the world. I receive letters occasionally. They all seem very happy," she said lightly to form conversation. But she couldn't hide the joy in her eyes as she spoke of her friends from the Kamiya dojo.  
  
No response.  
  
"And you, Shinomori-san? Are you happy?"  
  
His eyes widened slightly, even though she could not see him. "I suppose..."  
  
Megumi turned to glance at him over her shoulder. "You seem much more at peace with yourself..." She remembered the man obsessed with revenge who came to the Kamiya dojo, where she stayed while Yahiko and Kaoru went to Kyoto after Kenshin. Back then, Aoshi had been so full of rage, guilt, sorrow. A man possessed. But now...Megumi glanced at him again as he stared at a point far in the distance. The wind shifted his bangs, also shifting the beige yukata he wore. There seemed to be a quiet acceptance inside of him. "Where is Misao-chan?"  
  
"The Aoiya is undergoing construction...we are expanding the facility. Misao stayed to help," he answered. She insisted she go along with him, but the old man mentioned something about absence and fondness growing, so Misao had decided to stay.  
  
"Why are you here?" she asked, cutting right to the point of his visit.  
  
"I need some information about a drug," Aoshi began quietly. "I need to check your patient files to see if you had any come into your clinic who had this drug in their system. And any patient who has received treatment in this town for the last twenty years."  
  
Megumi's eyes widened. "Why?"   
  
"This chemical I am investigating...can be administered in many forms...I have reason to believe that it has existed for over a decade...and it recently appeared in this town several years ago."  
  
"No."  
  
"What?" He arched a brow.  
  
"No," she repeated firmly. "I will not allow you to pry into their private lives...on just an assumption. I need proof that such a thing exists here...otherwise..."  
  
He moved towards her, his frame casting a shadow. She swallowed, determined not to be intimidated. Megumi rose to her feet, tilting her chin stubbornly.  
  
"I'm sorry, Shinomori-san. But I cannot help you."  
  
Something glittered in his eyes. Anger? Irritation? Regardless, she would not back down.   
  
He briefly remembered how she and the ex-gangster would argue. When her mind was set on something, there was no changing it.   
  
"Perspiration. Fever. Chills. Retching. Stabbing pain to organs of the body...These are just few of the symptoms this drug causes," Aoshi said harshly. "It can be inhaled...ingested...or absorbed by a simple surface cut. And I need to find out who is responsible for it. The police, like you, refuse to believe it exists unless they see evidence. A patient in agony is hardly the evidence you need, is it?"  
  
Megumi looked away, her brown eyes clouded with several emotions. Confusion? Frustration? She avoided his gaze, debating on her decision for a long time.  
  
He was a man with infinite patience. But time was racing against him.   
  
Aoshi moved into her line of vision, his blue-gray eyes meeting a pair of cinnamon brown ones, wide with confusion. "Takani-sensei...it is the only lead I have."  
  
She blew out a breath. "Very well..."  
  
  
  
  
Oh yeah, and thanks for reading this far. Aoshi, Sano, and Megumi are my fave characters (not necessarily in that order)! ^_^ Thanks for your reviews, I'm not sure if I'll be able to do EVERYTHING you requested...I have a general idea of where this fic is going, so we'll see how things turn out. ^_^ 


	3. Chapter3

Megumi led Aoshi down a corridor of the clinic before opening a door. Aoshi let out a breath at the sight of folders and papers lined on shelves.  
  
"Here are all the patients that have ever been treated...Several of the clinics in the nearby villages copied the information down on additional paper and gave the information to us for reference. Our files are incomplete, we lost many files during the fires and wars..."  
  
His eyes surveyed the room. "I'll see what I can find here..." The room was very large, with shelves lining the walls, and several smaller bookcases lining the middle of the floor. A desk occupied a small amount of space against the wall.  
  
"Everything is organized according to village and then family name..." Megumi explained. "Most of Aizu takes up the larger shelves...the nearby villages and outskirts take up the small shelves."  
  
"Thank you," he responded, moving towards the first shelf. He took a breath. Research was never easy. But it was one of the things he was used to...as okashira and as a person. He was always eager to learn something new.  
  
"Of course...general information on patients is gathered here..." Megumi pointed to three large books on a small shelf. Her eyes were lit with mischief. One could actually see the fox ears pop out of her head. "So this may be a good starting point...you can always look up the patient's information in the files if something here catches your eye..."  
  
His lips twitched briefly.   
  
Megumi arched her brows. "I believe you're halfway to making a smile, Shinomori-san. Try harder next time..."  
  
He merely pulled the three books off the shelf, carrying them to the desk. "I'll research as fast as I can..."  
  
As if he would leave before getting what he needed. Megumi waved her hand in dismissal. "I have patients to see...I'll return later and see how you're doing..."  
  
"Thank you..."   
  
  
Four hours later, and he was only halfway through the first book. Aoshi sat back, staring at the two blank pieces of paper and Western fountain pen Megumi had lent him. His neck muscles were slowly getting stiff and his eyes felt gritty. A glance outside the window facing the desk told him it was almost nightfall. A sharp knock filled the room.  
  
"Come in," he called out.   
  
The door opened. "Shinomori-san, I brought tea."   
  
Megumi entered the room with a lamp in her hand and a tray balanced on her arm. She hung the lamp on a pole attached to the desk and set the tray off to the side.  
  
Aoshi poured himself a cup of steaming liquid. He took a small sip. It was much stronger than Misao's tea, but no less in taste quality.  
  
"It will help keep you awake...at least temporarily," Megumi spoke up, almost reading his mind. "You don't seem the type to enjoy coffee, which seems to keep many wide awake..."  
  
"Thank you..."  
  
"Any luck?" she pressed.  
  
"No," he answered, exhaling a breath.   
  
"I have three more patients coming...and assuming there are no more patients coming by, I can help you search..."  
  
"Tend to your patients first, Takani-sensei," he said quietly. "I'll find something sooner or later..."  
  
  
It was late evening when Megumi returned to the storage room. Many patients had come by last minute, feeling sick, had accidents...It was nearly eleven. Aoshi had been in the room for nearly twelve hours. His eyes were closed, his head tilted back as he slept, resting his head against the backrest. Megumi quietly picked up the tray of tea. Judging by the coolness of the pot, he had tea a long time ago. The cup clanged against the tray as she set it down. The instant she gritted her teeth for fear of disturbing him, his eyes flew open and he sat straight in his chair. She gasped in shock, the tray clattering to the floor.  
  
His eyes narrowed a fraction. "Takani-sensei..."  
  
She shook her head, traces of anxiety shimmering in her eyes. "Did you find anything?"  
  
"No," he answered. She couldn't tell if he was frustrated.  
  
Megumi glanced at the two books he still had to look through. "Shinomori-san...maybe you're looking for the answer in the wrong place..."  
  
His eyes took on a look she couldn't name. "Only after I have read everything when I decide if I'm at the wrong place or not..."  
  
Megumi sighed and she picked up the fallen tray and contents. "Kazumi-sensei...has offered to help me care for the clinic for tomorrow. He is a medical instructor at a school nearby. Since he will be here early morning, I can assist you in your research."  
  
Aoshi nodded, his right hand reaching up to massage the back of his neck.   
  
"Are you all right?" she asked, flicking her eyes in his direction.  
  
He nodded.  
  
"If your muscles are stiff, I have something to relax them," Megumi said.  
  
Before he could reply, she moved, disappearing out of the room for several minutes. She returned with a jar and a towel.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome. I'll fix more tea..."  
  
When she left, Aoshi applied the cream then wiped his hands dry. It was a strange sensation. Warm and tingling. Yet strangely soothing.  
  
When Megumi returned with a hot pot of tea and two cups, she found him leaning back in his chair, his eyes closed. Megumi settled in a chair, opening the second book which he had yet to look through. Megumi skimmed the first page, finding nothing. She glanced at him.   
  
Poor man. Any other person would be frustrated at the point he had reached. But not him. He carried on, not showing his inner thoughts. She wondered how Misao could deal with such a difficult man. Megumi continued her reading.  
  
Her eyes widened as she read a note which could prove helpful in his search. She reread it to make sure. "Shinomori-san?" she called, wondering if the mere sound of her voice would wake him.  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"What were the symptoms?"  
  
He opened both eyes to stare at the ceiling. "Fever. Chills. Retching-"  
  
"Extreme internal discomfort?" she finished.  
  
Aoshi lifted his head, nodding once.  
  
Megumi stood and began searching the shelves for a file. She pulled it off the shelf and planted it in front of him. "Start with this..."  
  
He began reading the doctor's notes on the patient. Immediately, he began writing notes down. Megumi found another entry and began to search through that patient's file.  
  
"These were nearly six years ago," Megumi mused as she began writing notes as well. "And from completely different parts of town..."  
  
"Better than nothing at all," he murmured.  
  
  
A glance at the clock told Aoshi it was nearly two hours past midnight. They had been working for several hours, Megumi especially. She had not taken a break since she joined him in the room. Complete with her patient care, she had to be exhausted. She was clearly a remarkable woman. She cared for her patients and friends with the same determination. No wonder the Kamiya dojo residents trusted her greatly.   
  
Megumi sighed in relief, setting her pen down. "That's it...That's everyone..." Her fingers were tender from constant writing. Megumi used her other hand to massage the muscles.   
  
Aoshi handed her the jar of cream she had given him earlier. "Here..."  
  
"Thank you..."   
  
She and Aoshi studied the lists of information.  
  
"There's a pattern here," Megumi said softly.  
  
Aoshi's gaze shot to hers.   
  
"All these men...were either former samurai..." She pointed to several of her notes, indicating that the physicians had commented that the excessive scars on each patient were due to their lives prior to the Meiji era. "...or they were related to one..."  
  
He had noticed the exact same thing. Within the past six years, nearly thirty people had passed away due to the symptoms. What was going on? 


	4. Chapter4

"Why are you investigating this drug, Shinomori-san?" Megumi asked quietly. "I thought you had...changed...that you were not going to get involved in other people's affairs..."  
  
"I've learned that old habits don't always leave," he murmured.   
  
"But why? You don't seem to have Ken-san's heroic attitude."  
  
He arched a brow at her blunt tone.   
  
"Or maybe you're doing this to avoid being in Kyoto..." Megumi mused. "Or being around someone in particular..."  
  
His eyes met hers for several seconds before he turned to put the files away, indicating the end of their discussion.  
  
"Am I right?" she asked softly.  
  
No response. She wasn't surprised.  
  
"Shinomori-san-" she began.  
  
"It's late," Aoshi interrupted. "I should leave..."   
  
Megumi noticed that he was cleaning as fast as he could. She sighed as she began to put files away as well. Within a few minutes, the room was clean and she was seeing him to the door.  
  
"Thank you, Takani-sensei," he bowed his head slightly as he turned to leave.  
  
"What are you going to do?" she asked.  
  
"Visit the families of the patients who died recently," Aoshi admitted.   
  
She nodded. "It may give you an idea on what might have caused them to pass away," Megumi added. Then with an arched brow, she said, "But I doubt some of them will welcome the okashira of the Oniwabanshu..."  
  
"Not all of them know who I am..."  
  
"But some might," she insisted. "I may be able to assist you. A physician asking questions about patients who have passed away is not suspicious at all."  
  
Although she had a valid argument, he didn't think it was a good idea. "No," Aoshi replied. "You're already too much involved as it is."  
  
The lady doctor crossed her arms over her chest and regarded him steadily. "I became involved the moment you stepped into my clinic..."  
  
He had to admire her tenacity. Her strong desire to help others no doubt influenced her attitude towards his investigation. "Thank you, but Jiro and I will deal with this matter."  
  
She studied him for several moments. "Then will you inform me as soon as possible anything you learn? Anything at all, no matter how insignificant it may seem. I may need it for future reference."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Good night, Shinomori-san..." Megumi then closed and locked the clinic door.  
  
***  
  
"You woke late this morning," Jiro commented casually at lunch the next day.  
  
Aoshi looked up and shrugged. "I worked late last night."  
  
"Somehow I do not believe that..." Jiro responded, laughing. "An attractive woman, no matter how intelligent and focused, can easily distract a man..."  
  
The okashira shook his head mentally. Jiro really was an old friend of Okina. They had the same twisted sense of humor. As if he would engage in self-indulgence with the lady doctor. Aoshi decided not to affirm or deny that statement, Jiro would still think the same, regardless, if he voiced his opinion.   
  
Instead, he replied, "I went through many patient files last night and came up with a list of those patients. Interviewing their family members seems to be the correct course of action right now..." He showed the old man the list.  
  
Jiro's eyes widened. "All these people?" He sifted through the sheets. "Incredible. You must have spent hours locating these files and recording notes..."  
  
Aoshi hid a smile. People always perceived actions better than words. "I need you to tell me if their relatives still live here..."  
  
Jiro scanned the list, promptly picking up a pen to lightly mark each applicable patient. "I will accompany you."  
  
"It's best if I go alone," Aoshi insisted.  
  
"Are you worried that someone will find out that we're inquiring about this?"  
  
Pause. "Someone already does know."  
  
Jiro sighed. "Stranger in town, spending time around talkative individuals...someone probably does know."  
  
"I'm prepared for that," Aoshi assured. He didn't become a strong warrior and excellent swordsman without seeing a situation from different angles.  
  
***  
  
Aoshi gave the woman who answered the door a small smile in greeting. His investigation was underway.  
  
"Konnichiwa," he greeted before launching into his practiced speech. "I'm Minoru Shinjiro, an aspiring medical student. During my time at the clinic library, I came across information regarding Natsu Teshi. Would it be all right if I asked you several questions?"  
  
"Of course." She opened the door to let him inside.  
  
They sat at a low table, and she stared at the table surface, clearly unable to meet his gaze.  
  
"What do you wish to know?" she asked softly.  
  
Pulling out more paper and a pen, he said quietly, "First I would like to know your name."  
  
"Natsu Akiko. He...was my husband."  
  
"Could you tell me more about your husband?" Aoshi asked gently.  
  
She sighed, playing with the sleeve of her kimono. The woman was probably at most ten years older than him. In the short amount of minutes he had spent in her company, he could see a heavy burden on her shoulders.   
  
"We used to live in Tokyo...He was a guard for one of the European noblemen who came to the country nearly twenty years ago. Teshi was several years older than me...I grew up in the European house...my mother was a maid there and my father took care of the horses and the carriage that provided transportation. My parents were farmers, but...well...Teshi and I met while he worked for Schroeder-san..." Akiko smiled fondly. "Teshi was a kind man...very strong...I always thought nothing could destroy him. He was pleasant...when a person was upset and let out their frustrations on him, he refused to get upset. Teshi and I married fifteen years ago..." She glanced at him before looking away. "Forgive my curiosity, but how old are you, Minoru-san?"  
  
"Twenty-one," he responded smoothly. So he was lying. Aoshi hadn't been a spy/protector of the Edo castle by being completely honest. If he wanted information, he lied to get it.  
  
"So you wouldn't fully be aware of the chaos this country had been in during the transition of the new government." She nodded. "Well, it was a lifestyle many had to adapt to. Otherwise, they could not survive. We found meager jobs...but we mostly wanted to get away from Tokyo. The area was full of bad memories for us...Shortly after our wedding, during a riot, Schroeder-san's house was burned to the ground. He was very kind to us, and we missed him terribly." She swallowed, her eyes taking on sadness. "Seven years ago, we moved to Aizu. And...four years ago, Teshi died. The doctors hadn't been able to find out what was wrong. He was fairly young, so it made no sense for him to die so soon."  
  
"I know that it's been a long time...but do you remember anything unusual happening prior to him...?" Aoshi trailed off, uncertain on how to articulate his words.  
  
Akiko sighed, her brow furrowing. "No..."  
  
"It's very important," he explained. "If you don't remember anything, that's all right, I-"  
  
"Well..." Akiko looked up. "I remember one night, hours later than his afternoon walk, he was feeling sick. I thought his food didn't settle well, but he was feeling worse the next day. And then he became seriously ill. He was perspiring, coughing...it was the most painful experience he went through...and that I had to witness..."  
  
Aoshi's eyes softened slightly. "What happened?"  
  
"I asked the doctor to visit. He didn't know what to do. So he gave something to Teshi to ease the pain. It didn't help. So he gave him something to make him fall asleep. Teshi slept for two days before he passed away," Akiko said softly.  
  
The okashira wrote as she discussed her memories of her husband. "I see. I'm very...sorry that you lost your husband..."  
  
"Thank you for your condolences..." she murmured before suddenly asking, "Is this research?"   
  
He nodded slightly. "Yes."  
  
"Well, I hope no one else suffers like my husband did."  
  
Unfortunately, twenty and more did... he thought. "Same here," he murmured, rising to his feet. "Thank you very much, Natsu-san."  
  
"I'm not sure if I was very helpful...Do you know why he passed away?"  
  
"I'd like to find out," Aoshi said frankly. "And perhaps use the knowledge for future patients..."  
  
A small smile crossed her lips. "It is my greatest wish that you find out what happened...It's been a mystery that I want solved." Her lips trembled. "I've lived the last several years wondering why he passed away...Perhaps...finding out why will put a sense of closure..."  
  
"If I find anything, I'll let you know," he assured softly.  
  
"Thank you..."  
  
As Aoshi left the Natsu residence, he had more questions than answers.   
  
And every household he went to produced the same results. More questions. More mystery. More scenarios that made no sense...  
  
  
  
  
  
Note: I'd like to thank all those people that are reading, reading/reviewing this! So the plot thickens...What's going on? Does ANYBODY know what's going on in Aizu? ^_^ 'Til next time... 


	5. Chapter5

"I am confused," Jiro announced, studying the notes Aoshi had taken.   
  
Aoshi glanced at him before filing through his notes again.  
  
"The patients went about their daily activities...nothing out of the ordinary happened to them," Jiro said aloud.  
  
The onmitsu propped one elbow on the table, resting his chin on his hand. "This isn't making any sense to me at all...If these patients had gotten sick, during their usual daily routine...then the person who administered the drug knew exactly what they were doing..."  
  
"You think the attacker knew each and every one of these families?" Jiro asked.  
  
"The attacker didn't harm the family members, just one person in each family. And each of them were either a samurai or closely related to one." Aoshi sat back, crossing his arms. "And interestingly enough, each person treated by a physician were given some sort of medication to ease the pain." He frowned slightly. "Is it possible for the medication to react with the poison, making the effects even deadlier?"  
  
Jiro cleared his throat, glancing at the notes. "It's highly possible. I...I am not an expert in chemicals and medicine...but...I would assume that anything is possible..."  
  
"Do you know of any expert in chemicals and their effects on the body?" Aoshi asked.  
  
"No, I am afraid not..."  
  
Aoshi gathered his paperwork before rising to his feet.   
  
Jiro followed his movements with his eyes. "Where are you going?"  
  
"To the clinic," Aoshi responded quietly. "Takani-sensei insisted I inform her upon learning any new information."  
  
"And since when did the okashira of the Oniwabanshu take orders from a woman?" Jiro teased.  
  
"I used her resources."  
  
"Therefore, it is only fair you honor her request," Jiro finished.  
  
With a nod, Aoshi turned to leave.  
  
***  
  
It was fairly late in the afternoon and several merchants were already closing their shops. Aoshi couldn't help but notice how they seemed content with their lives. They obviously much preferred their simple lives. Wake up, open their businesses, close their businesses, and spend the reamining hours of the afternoon and evening with their families.   
  
In Kyoto, he had gotten used to his routine of meditation. He would spend hours in the temple. It would be a long time before he was satisfied with the person he was. He didn't think he would ever accept what he had done...a part of him still felt guilty for the death of his comrades...and for nearly destroying the man who had raised him, who knew him better than anyone. He would never forget Misao's expression when she found him standing over Okina's body. He had caused such pain and misery. But that was in the past. It had been well over a year since that incident, yet it always hovered in the back of his mind.  
  
Several months ago, Misao had placed the responsibilities for the Oniwabanshu back in Aoshi's hands, much to the surprise of the others, Okina, and Aoshi himself. At first, Aoshi was against it...the Oniwabanshu wasn't needed anymore...and yet...many people still needed information. They did not know how to obtain it. Aoshi did provide information for those who needed it, provided their motives were reasonable, but he refused to take up his swords.   
  
When he heard the rumors of the deadly drug, he brought it to Okina's attention, wondering if the old man knew anything about it. Lately, Aoshi had been feeling restless. And it seemed as if Okina knew. The old man provided all the information he could on the drug, along with supporting words. If Aoshi wished to investigate, he would support his decision. Aoshi was, after all, the okashira.  
  
Aoshi shook his head. He was never fond of formality. He never treated his former mentor as a subordinate, and he wasn't going to start anytime soon.  
  
Something whistled through the air. Aoshi quickly jumped aside, and in barely a second, he knew exactly which direction the shuriken had come from. Aoshi looked in the direction of one building, his eyes narrowed.  
  
"Very good, stranger...you knew you were being attacked and you knew its origin," a voice called out.  
  
Aoshi merely watched as a skinny figure leapt from the building. He was dressed in a gray outfit which concealed his face.   
  
"Who are you?" Aoshi asked calmly.  
  
"You do not need to know." With that, he charged forward, fist pulled back, preparing to strike.  
  
When Himura Battousai brought him to Kyoto after the defeat of Shishio Makoto, Aoshi swore that he would not take up his sword again. Intuition told him that this man was trying to stop him from investigating the drug. So he'd have to use his kempo skills as well. Unlike many swordsman, he never relied just on a sword.   
  
At the last several seconds, the man pulled a concealed kunai into his fist. Aoshi dodged and kicked him across the midsection.  
  
His attacker hunched over, attempting to catch his breath. Aoshi watched warily. The attacker's arm went out, tossing something in his direction. At the moment Aoshi jumped aside, the attacker jumped away. The smoke bomb went off. Aoshi quickly escaped from the cloud, only to see that his attacker stood high on a rooftop.   
  
"I underestimated you. That is a warning, stranger. You and Kurihana-san should no longer get involved..." With that, his attacker left.  
  
Aoshi blew out a breath in slight frustration. He would have preferred to catch him and find out the answers to what was happening, but...  
  
He could not sense any enemy aura, so he headed to the clinic.   
  
***  
  
"You were what?" Megumi's eyes rounded.   
  
"It's nothing. Someone knows what I'm doing and they tried to scare me into stopping my investigation," Aoshi explained.  
  
She arched a brow. Shinomori Aoshi wasn't the type to be scared.   
  
"Something bothers me, though..." Aoshi frowned in thought. "He tried to attack me with a shuriken, then a kunai, but when I deflected the second attack, he just gave up."  
  
"Maybe he realized that you are no ordinary stranger," Megumi responded.  
  
"I don't think-"  
  
"Takani-sensei!" A frantic yell entered the clinic. "Takani-sensei! Help, my friend was shot!"  
  
Megumi and Aoshi entered the main hall to find two young men, one barely able to stand, his body bleeding from his torso.  
  
"Put him on the bed in this room," Megumi ordered, pointing to one of the rooms behind her. She turned to her assistant, "Ayu, take care of anyone else who comes in, I need to help this patient."  
  
At that moment, a young boy with a broken wrist appeared. Ayu immediately tended to him. Megumi passed Aoshi two basins.  
  
"Shinomori-san, I'll need your assistance. There's a well outside, I need you to get two containers of water, one you will boil. Everything is outside for you...I want to hear more about your investigation, but right now, that has to wait. Please hurry."  
  
He nodded and quickly headed to retrieve what she needed.  
  
While Aoshi was getting water, Megumi tied her hair back before sanitizing her hands.   
  
"I need you to restrain your friend," Megumi told one young man.   
  
He nodded, his eyes wide and panicky. She pulled out her surgical kit and began cutting away at the man's garments. She was currently in the process of digging a bullet out of a man's chest when Aoshi came in with a basin of cold water.  
  
"Where's the hot water?" the doctor asked calmly.  
  
"It's almost ready," Aoshi responded.  
  
Megumi grit her teeth as she tried to clamp onto the foreign object with tweezers. Aoshi returned with hot water not long after she removed the first bullet.   
  
It had been a long procedure. Aoshi had to bring in additional sources of light so she could see. When it was over, Megumi assured the young man who brought him in that he would be fine. She cleaned up, removing her doctor garmets to place them for cleaning. Aoshi stood waiting in the doorway.   
  
Wordlessly, she went out to the waiting room to see Ayu closing up the clinic. Her assistant looked at her expectantly.  
  
"He'll be fine..." Megumi assured her.  
  
Ayu sighed with relief. "Thank goodness. It's late, Sensei, I think I'm going to head home. My brother will be outside to walk with me shortly."  
  
Megumi nodded. "Good night."  
  
"Good night..."  
  
After she stepped out, Megumi turned to see Aoshi leaning back against a wall. He looked as drained as she did.   
  
"Shinomori-san, thank you for your help," Megumi started. "I appreciate it."  
  
"You're welcome," he replied. His jaw tightened, and his hands braced against the wall. "It's late...we can talk tomorrow..."  
  
"Yes, that would..." Her eyes narrowed. "Are you all right?"  
  
He nodded his head once. "Yes. I..." Without warning, his eyes rolled back before closing, his frame collapsing away from the wall. 


	6. Chapter6

A/N: AAAA! I've been neglecting this story for a while now...Darn you, Saitou Hajime! (grumbles about being distracted thanks to a story about Saitou and Tokio) I just had to write this chappie right away. Anyway, enjoy!  
  
  
"Shinomori-san!" Megumi cried out, moving forward to catch his lean frame.   
  
He slumped over her shoulder, unconscious. Megumi bit her lower lip, his weight on her becoming too much to bear. She shifted slightly, moving him so that he lay across several cushions in the waiting area. He was so tall, she had to grab some pillows from across the room to place under his head. Quickly but gracefully moving towards the closet, she retrieved a blanket. Then she brought a small bowl of water and a washcloth into the waiting area. She arranged the blanket over him and placed the cloth on his forehead. Gently placing two fingers on the side of his neck, she was able to determine that his pulse beat slowly, but steadily.   
  
What happened? Shinomori Aoshi was one of the few strong people she knew. It took a lot to render him helpless. From what Kenshin had told her, even after their battles, Aoshi had the strength to stand up after a twenty-minute rest even though he had seemed incapacitated.  
  
A soft sound emerged from his lips and his eyes fluttered open. He stared at the ceiling blankly before turning his head slightly to meet her gaze. In the soft light of the lamp in the room, he could see concern in her dark eyes.  
  
"What happened?" he asked hoarsely, his voice breaking.  
  
"You collapsed," Megumi explained calmly. "You don't look well, Shinomori-san..."   
  
"Water..."  
  
She immediately got up to fetch him a cup of water. When she handed it to him, he moved to a half-sitting position and drank half of the cup before looking at her.  
  
"Better?" she asked.  
  
"Aa."  
  
"Excuse me..." Megumi reached up to feel his forehead as a thought came to mind. His eyes darkened and he turned away, but she pressed the back of her hand against his cheek instead. He was flushed, and surprisingly warm. "Did you eat something bad?"  
  
"No...I don't think so," he responded.   
  
"What happened to you today?" Megumi asked, trying to swallow the lump forming in her throat. Maybe it was women's intution...perhaps even doctor's intuition, but she had a sneaking suspicion of what the okashira had. And he would certainly not be pleased to hear it.  
  
"Jiro and and I were going over the information that I had collected. I...decided to see you and I was attacked on the way over." Aoshi frowned. "The fight lasted barely two minutes when he gave up."  
  
"Did you get cut?" Megumi pressed. "Were you exposed to any chemicals?"  
  
Aoshi's eyes widened a fraction. "He...He left after dropping a smoke bomb."  
  
"Did you inhale it?"  
  
"I was in the center of it..." Aoshi set his jaw. "Takani-sensei..."  
  
"You're developing a fever," Megumi explained. "And last I recall...that's one of few symptoms..."  
  
"No..." Aoshi muttered. "I refuse to-"  
  
"Shinomori-san...if that man knew that you were investigating that drug, I wouldn't eliminate the possibility that he's used it on you..."  
  
"No." His fists clenched tightly, causing his arms to tremble. "He may not have-"  
  
"It's possible, Shinomori-san," she interrupted firmly. But her eyes held hope. "We have a few hours to determine if he did or not. I want you to tell me everything you and Jiro-san learned. Everything. The tiniest detail could be helpful."  
  
"I won't let this defeat me," he swore, shifting to get up.   
  
"Shinomori-san!" Megumi pushed hard on his shoulders, causing him to fall back. He was as stubborn as any patient could be. If Sanosuke had been in his position, she would have swatted him. If it had been Kenshin...Kenshin would have obliged...and for jokes, she would have tied him up. Megumi knew that both options would not be accepted well by this man. "I will do everything I can right now. But first, I have to learn everything you've discovered."  
  
Seeing the determination in her eyes, Aoshi took a deep breath. Then he began telling her about all the families he had interviewed. He had talked for almost two hours, a record for such a quiet man, before exhaustion took its toll.  
  
***  
  
Megumi smiled at the young boy, splint on his arm, as he waved her goodbye. When he disappeared, she rubbed her eyes wearily. Her body was feeling tired, and she had spent a good portion of the night going over the notes that had been in Aoshi's pocket. She slid open the door of the room where he lay sleeping.   
  
Last night, after he collapsed for the second time, she had done what she could to make him comfortable.   
  
The clinic was empty, so she had plenty of time on her hands. Kneeling beside his bed, she checked his temperature. Hot. Worse...his sheets were soaked with sweat. Megumi pulled back the sheet covering his torso, gasping in surprise. His entire face and neck were coated with perspiration. His yukata stuck to his chest like second skin. Megumi moved into the hallway to retrieve some water, washcloths, and new sheets.   
  
Ayu said nothing as she watched the doctor move back and forth. She had been informed of Shinomori Aoshi's condition.  
  
Megumi came back inside Aoshi's room. After rolling him to one side, she changed his sheets. She removed his yukata, her eyes widening at the sight of the scars over his chest, which he no doubt received during his battles over the years. After wiping away the perspiration on his chest, back, and neck with tepid water, she lay him back, placing a cool cloth on his forehead. Megumi adjusted the sheet so that it stayed at his waist. His entire body was heated. She bit her lip, knowing that her intuition had been right. Aoshi had taken the drug.   
  
He was dying.  
  
Megumi took in a shaky breath. She had to hope that he'd be able to overcome the poison. It might be a futile thought, but she didn't want to give up hope.  
  
She closed her eyes, thinking of the friends and family who would want to know about his condition. Ken-san, Okina-san...and...Misao-chan. What would she think? Megumi knew that when it came to Misao's beloved Aoshi-sama, the young girl would do anything. And if she knew that he was dying, she'd be crushed.  
  
"Ta...Megumi..."   
  
She looked up to see Aoshi struggle to sit up. "Yes?"   
  
"I..." He could barely speak.  
  
Megumi hurried to get him a cup of water. He could barely lift his hand to grasp it. Megumi slid her palm beneath his head and tipped the cup so that he could drink.  
  
"How are you feeling?" she asked softly to form conversation.  
  
"Terrible," he responded, his voice weary. "How long have I been asleep?"  
  
"Half a day," she answered.  
  
"I've been poisoned," he whispered. It wasn't a question. It was a rhetorical statement.  
  
She stared at the floorboards. "Yes..."  
  
He closed his eyes briefly before he opened them to look across the room. He didn't want to die. Barely two years ago, when his comrades had died, when he lost his honor, his compassion, and his clan...all just to gain title of the strongest...he could have easily taken his own life. But now...He wasn't ready for death.  
  
"Sh...Aoshi," Megumi spoke up, addressing him by his given name.  
  
He looked at her, his expression guarded.  
  
"Would you like me to inform the Oniwabanshu about your condition?"  
  
"No..."  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Girlquinn, you know me SO well...=P Gee...uh...maybe it's cuz we're related??? More chappies to come...  
  
Saitou: Ahou, make up your mind what story you want to write...  
  
Me: Yes, Mr. Police Occifer Man.... 


	7. Chapter7

Megumi felt her shoulders sink. "No?" she repeated.  
  
"They don't need to know," he said quietly.  
  
Her eyes widened. "What?! They deserve to know...they're your...They're your friends and family-"  
  
"I can't-"  
  
"Misao-chan would want to be here for you and support you," Megumi insisted. "You need to be around those who care for you..."  
  
"What's to stop whoever did this to me from doing this to them?" Aoshi interrupted. Then he closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, conviction was evident in their blue-gray depths. "Whoever did this to me...they don't know who I am...but if they find out..."  
  
"It might affect the Oniwabanshu. I understand," Megumi said swiftly, but gently. While her past history with this man was full of unpleasant memories, she was above petty emotions. Her compassion as a doctor had given her the generosity to go beyond the tension that had existed, to maintain a civil interaction. And that compassion was also going to help her find a way to help him. "I can at least send a message to Jiro-san...he'd like to know..."  
  
He shook his head. "No..."  
  
"But-"  
  
"The person who attacked me...he knows who Jiro is," Aoshi explained wearily.  
  
"I don't have to say who you are," Megumi responded.  
  
"No..."  
  
***  
  
Megumi sighed as she began to tidy up the supplies in one of the patient care rooms. Such a stubborn man...  
  
With so much happening, Megumi needed all the help she could get. The doctor who taught at the university offered to take care of the clinic in the mornings. Megumi made a couple inquiries to doctor friends in different cities, hoping they would know something. Aoshi had been very thorough in his research, so she had to summarize what 'disease' she was looking for to each friend. Thanks to modern technology, it wouldn't take very long for some of those letters to reach their destinations. She only hoped they would come up with something in time...  
  
Yesterday, she had sent a message to Jiro, against Aoshi's wishes. Jiro had been out of town, so she wasn't able to determine when he would get her general message. She received a letter from her brother, who said that he'd be in town tomorrow. She was really looking forward to his return.   
  
Aoshi ate very little...enough to sustain strength but far less than what a normal person would. She opened the door to check on him, seeing him wide awake, staring at the ceiling.   
  
"How are you feeling today?" Megumi asked, reaching to touch his forehead, surprised at the extreme change in temperature.  
  
"It's cold in here," he said softly.  
  
Another symptom. Megumi turned away.  
  
"I'll fetch you a blanket..."  
  
Within a few minutes, she had him covered with a blanket. He turned slightly to face her.  
  
"It's only a matter of time..."  
  
"Aoshi...Don't give up hope," she encouraged gently. "You said yourself that you wouldn't let it defeat you..."  
  
He sighed. "I know..." He cringed slightly.   
  
Her eyes widened. "What's wrong?"  
  
Aoshi breathed out slowly and with a closer look, she saw that he clutched his side.  
  
"What is it?" She pushed the blanket aside to see that he held the area beneath his rib cage. His breathing came quicker than normal, and his teeth clenched as if he were suffering. "You have to tell me what's wrong, I can't help you otherwise..."  
  
"Pain...as if a sword is repeatedly being-"   
  
She touched his side and a sound escaped through his teeth. He seized her arm and she stopped her examination.  
  
"I can give you something to dull the pain," she said.  
  
"No," Aoshi responded.   
  
The raw anguish swimming in his eyes told her that he was suffering a lot more than he let on. "I have to do something..." She moved to a kneeling position.  
  
He lay back, closing his eyes, apparently needing a moment to collect himself. When his eyes opened, they were emotionless. "I don't think I should take any medication..."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Sensei..."  
  
She studied him for several moments before turning away. "If that is what you wish..." She exited his room quietly.  
  
***  
  
The next day, Megumi's brother had arrived, much to her relief. She had explained everything that happened while he was gone. Kei then took it upon himself to see Aoshi.  
  
"He's resting," her brother said, settling across the table from her.  
  
"Kei-nii..." Megumi took a breath, "I don't know how much time he has left...I've done everything I could...and it doesn't feel like I've done enough..." She sighed, pushing her hair back.   
  
"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself."  
  
"I told Aoshi not to give up...I'm trying to be strong...but...nothing's come up so far..." she whispered.   
  
He squeezed her hand. "Something will..."  
  
"What if it's too late? I don't want him to die..."  
  
Kei blew out a breath, his eyes full of compassion. "You've never lost a patient before, have you?"  
  
Megumi swallowed. "No. Have you?"   
  
"Yes. A long time ago..." Kei cleared his throat. "I doubted myself shortly after that. But...death is a part of life. We have to deal with it..."  
  
She drew in a breath, her eyes lighting up with determination. "I know. If I knew what was used to make that drug...I could possibly counter it..."  
  
"Sensei!" Ayu called through the hallway. "A letter from Daikaki-sensei has arrived for you!"  
  
Megumi glanced at her brother before the two got up and hurried to the waiting room. Ayu was practically hopping on each foot in anticipation. Megumi accepted the outstretched letter and opened it.  
  
Reading aloud, Megumi said quietly, " 'Takani-sensei, my apologies if this letter has taken time to arrive. I have been inquiring about the sickness that you have mentioned and came across a patient who passed away, carrying the same symptoms as you described. The patient fell ill in the afternoon due to unknown circumstances. His symptoms were the exact same, fever, chills, terrible pain. The patient was fully prepared to pass away, and he refused medication that would ease the pain or put him to sleep. He passed away two weeks after he fell ill..." Megumi read the rest of the letter quietly and looked up to see her brother and assistant watching her. "Two weeks?"  
  
"What is it?" Ayu asked.  
  
"According to Aoshi's research, the patients only lasted several days," Megumi recalled. "And each of them were either given a painkiller or a sedative..."  
  
"You think those might react with the poison, speeding up the process of it's effects?" Kei asked.  
  
Megumi looked away, setting the letter aside. "If that's true...he only has eleven days...at most...to live..." She took a deep breath, pushing aside a strand of hair before turning to them. "Eleven days is a long time. Anything can happen."  
  
Kei smiled briefly. "Absolutely."  
  
Suddenly, a sound from Aoshi's room echoed in their ears. Megumi hurried over and slid the door open, to find the okashira slumped over the window of his room. 


	8. Chapter8

Megumi hurried over to the window. "Aoshi! What happened?"  
  
"Someone...was...here..." he said hoarsely, gripping her shoulder as she tried to pry him off the window. "They...left...They..." He grunted in pain, clutching his side.  
  
"Did they attack you?" she asked.  
  
"No...they..." he trailed off, collapsing in her arms.   
  
Megumi swallowed. "Aoshi..." Once again, she was stunned by how he could be strong one day, weak the next. Her eyes softened, and she glanced at her brother and their assistant. "Ayu, could you boil some water?"  
  
"Yes, Sensei..."  
  
Kei moved forward to help his sister put their patient to bed. "Did he just say that someone was here?"  
  
Megumi moved the blanket over Aoshi's form. "Yes..."  
  
"Megumi-chan...are we in danger?" Kei asked sternly. "You told me that this man is a friend of a patient...but...I want the truth."  
  
She returned his gaze steadily. "Now is not the place for this conversation."  
  
"Then we'll discuss this outside..."  
  
  
"He's what?" Kei asked increduolously.  
  
"Okashira of Edo Oniwabanshu...at least...when they were alive..." she murmured.  
  
Kei sat back, absorbing it all. They were in his office, where they could be left alone to talk. "And how does he know Jiro-san?"  
  
"I think Jiro-san was a friend of the Oniwabanshu years ago..." Megumi responded. "I don't know for sure if he became acquainted with Aoshi himself or the former okashira...but the two do know each other. I didn't lie about that..."  
  
"There's something else that you're not telling me," Kei responded.  
  
Megumi looked away.   
  
"Megumi-chan..."  
  
She lifted regretful eyes to meet her brother's gaze. "I...I've done many things...that I'm not proud of..."  
  
"It can't be that awful..." Kei leaned forward. "Was this in Tokyo?"  
  
Megumi nodded. She was over the pain of her life as Kanryu's prisoner, but she would never forget all the lives she destroyed. "Yes..." She swallowed fiercely. "Six years ago...I went to Tokyo working as a doctor's assistant. The physician...had been making opium for a less reputable businessman named Takeda Kanryu...They...They had a disagreement and Kanryu killed him. I had to take the physican's place...mass-producing opium...so Kanryu could sell them on the streets..." She sighed, her fists tightening in her lap. "Kanryu had many bodyguards to protect him and prevent me from escaping...he had also hired the Oniwabanshu as an extra precaution."  
  
Kei's eyes rounded. "Then...Shinomori Aoshi was..."  
  
"My prison guard," Megumi whispered.  
  
"But...you seem to be on civil terms..."  
  
Megumi sighed. "A lot has changed since then...When...When I was able to escape, I ran into a former gangster and samurai...they rescued me from Kanryu. That night...Aoshi was the only Edo Oniwabanshu member who lived. His men died by Kanryu's gatling gun. He...He blamed Ken-san, the samurai, for their deaths. For a long time...he was consumed by rage...he...he forgot what was most important..." Megumi looked at a point on the wall. "There were members in Kyoto...but those Oniwabanshu found lives of their own. Aoshi's men...knew nothing but their fighting skills. He tried to give them a life...something to be proud of. But...things changed when his men died...he was lost for a long time..." she murmured. "He gave up everything just to fight Ken-san...and...he nearly killed his mentor and alienated the girl who loves him in the process. But...Ken-san was able to get through to him...And...he hasn't taken up his swords since..."  
  
"He's dangerous," Kei said quietly. "Whoever was here...they might want to finish the job."  
  
"It's our duty to look after him, and I will continue to do so, regardless of the risks."  
  
"Look at what's happened to you, Megumi-chan. If he had just-"  
  
"I admit, there was a time when I despised who he was and what he represented, but that was a long time ago. I won't let the past rule my decisions." Megumi tightened her fists. "In Tokyo, I met many who deserved more than a night in jail for their crimes. But I treated them anyway because I'm a doctor. It's what we're supposed to do. Treat patients and not pass judgment. Remember?"  
  
"Our parents used to say that a lot..." Kei mused aloud. Then he looked at her. "I don't want to see you hurt. I almost lost you once..."  
  
She smiled briefly. "I'm not as delicate as you think..."  
  
***  
  
"You should eat something," his physician instructed, setting a tray of soup and tea by his bed.  
  
He ignored her comment and asked, "Any news?"  
  
"No," Megumi answered softly.  
  
"What about your doctor friend who responded to your letter?" he pressed. Reaching up with a trembling hand, he tried to remove the hot cloth on his forehead. Damn. He didn't remember ever being this weak.  
  
Her eyes widened. "You heard that?"  
  
"Just that his letter arrived," Aoshi said softly.  
  
Megumi sighed. "He treated a patient with similar symptoms..."  
  
"And?"  
  
She closed her eyes for several moments. Aoshi reached out, circling her wrist with his shaking hand. Her eyes flew open.  
  
"What happened?"   
  
When she looked at him, her composure had returned. "He passed away fourteen days after he first became ill..."  
  
Aoshi looked at the ceiling. "I don't have much time left..."  
  
Megumi gently disengaged his hand from her arm. "Your guess was right...sedatives and painkillers speed up the poison..."  
  
He nodded his head once.  
  
"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Megumi asked.   
  
"No...not at this time..."  
  
She then left. Aoshi turned, examining the food she had brought.   
  
Ironic. The woman he had held prisoner two years ago was doing all she could to save his life. They had encountered several times since his men had died...and one of those occasions, he had threatened to kill her. He was a different man back then. He sipped his soup thoughtfully. He respected her, but he never really interacted with her until recently.   
  
He set the bowl down before going into a coughing fit.   
  
Eleven days was a long time. He hoped something would come up before his time was over.  
  
***  
  
Several days had passed. Aoshi was getting weaker and weaker. Megumi blew out a breath as she proceeded to finish her paperwork. She wasn't a miracle worker. There was only so much she could do. As Aoshi grew weaker, Megumi was beginning to lose hope.  
  
"Megumi-sensei?" Ayu spoke up, standing in the doorway.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"A letter has arrived for you. The messenger boy didn't say who sent it..."  
  
Megumi took the letter and unfolded it. After skimming the contents, her lips parted in shock and her eyes rounded.  
  
"What is it?" Ayu asked.  
  
"It...It's a list of the ingredients used to poison Aoshi," Megumi whispered.   
  
"What?" Ayu was stunned. "Can you trust it? Are you sure that-"  
  
"This message...is from Jiro-san," Megumi continued. "He...He created the poison in the first place..."  
  
  
  
A/N: Okay Girlquinn, Xiaoyu, what's up with mentioning all the bodily functions? Y'all are nasty...lol. 


	9. Chapter9

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Xiaoyu and Girlquinn for their STRANGE words of encouragement, Daiji for the support and suggestions.   
  
  
He needed to move around. He wasn't an invalid who would be confined to live the rest of his days in bed. Aoshi had overheard her assistant mention a letter from an unknown source. So he had pulled himself to Megumi's office.   
  
What he heard was surprising. No...Jiro was responsible for this?   
  
Megumi turned to see him clutching the doorframe for support. "Aoshi, it might be best if-"  
  
"How?" he rasped.   
  
She set the letter down and turned to her assistant. "Ayu, please excuse us."  
  
Her assistant left to tend the waiting room.  
  
Aoshi propped himself against the wall. The sound of his rapid breathing echoed in the room. His eyes were shut tightly, the effort to just stand cost him every ounce of energy in his body.   
  
His eyes opened. "Tell me," he said in a quiet, but firm voice, his eyes meeting hers and holding her gaze.   
  
Megumi moved forward to stand in front of him. "Jiro-san...in his letter...was very brief. He claimed that he created the poison a long time ago for assassination purposes. Apparently, someone else in his clan knew the formula, because it has reappeared again..." She lifted her hand to check his temperature. He let her this time, instead of flinching away.   
  
"And?"  
  
"Jiro-san left town the afternoon you were attacked by a smoke bomb...when he returns, he will explain everything. But...he gave me a list of the ingredients in the poison..."  
  
"Will that help in making an antidote?"   
  
"Possibly. But...the poison you have may be a variation of what he created. The medicine may not be strong enough," Megumi insisted. "It may not work at all. It may have a negative effect."  
  
"Make it."  
  
"Aoshi, you're asking me to give you something that could possibly kill you," Megumi said incredulously. "And who's to say that Jiro-san really sent this letter? It could be your attacker tricking you..."  
  
"May I see it?"  
  
She walked over to her desk and retrieved the letter. Walking back towards him, she held it up for his examination. His eyes scanned every inch of the parchment.  
  
"I've already been poisoned, why would he want to kill me twice?" His eyes shut again, and he held his arm to his side. He continued hoarsely, "He and Okina have been friends for a long time...He and his clan were small, but they used to provide information and assist the Oniwabanshu. He wouldn't betray them."  
  
Megumi bit her lip. She really was not going to debate loyalty and betrayal concerning the Oniwabanshu considering who she was addressing.  
  
"Jiro always wrote his name a particular way..." Aoshi continued. "The paper underneath his name was a shade darker than the actual paper, and the ink he used in the letter has a greenish tint to it. Jiro always used that when sending very important messages."   
  
Megumi tipped the letter to the light, looking for the clues that Aoshi mentioned. She sighed. "It still doesn't change the fact that the antidote could harm more than help..."  
  
His eyes opened. "Takani-sensei." At the sound of her name and title, she was immediately drawn to the pull of his gaze. Uncertainty flickered in the dark depths of her eyes. "I will take that risk. If our situations were reversed, wouldn't you do the same?"   
  
***  
  
She would. And he knew it. Megumi placed the powdered mixture into a tiny cup before filling the cup with water. Stirring the mixture, she found her brother standing in the door of her office.   
  
"Is it ready?" he asked.  
  
"Almost. How is he?"  
  
"He's been asleep for seven straight hours," Kei responded. "His breathing is still rapid and his pulse rate is low..."  
  
"Certain parts of the day he calls on all his strength just so he can stand or sit up...but other times...he seems so lifeless," Megumi murmured. Then she examined the medicine. "I hope this works."  
  
"We'll have to monitor him every hour," Kei responded. "See how he responds to the medicine."  
  
Megumi gestured to the different jars on the table. "I made extra just in case we need to increase the dosage..."  
  
Kei glanced at the cup that required two hands to completely hold on all sides. "That's plenty of medicine...I'll hold him up while you have him drink."  
  
It was late, the clinic was already closed. The two physicians entered Aoshi's room.  
  
"Shinomori-san," Kei addressed their patient. "Your medicine is here."  
  
Aoshi shifted. Megumi reached over to touch his forehead before checking his pulse. "He's feverish again...Aoshi, can you hear me?"  
  
The two siblings glanced at each other. Kei then seized Aoshi, holding him upright so Megumi could give him the medicine.  
  
"Considering only one that I know of has gotten this far with the poison...it's difficult to say if incoherence is a symptom..." Megumi tipped Aoshi's chin up so that he could swallow the liquid. "Kei-nii, I'll watch over him."  
  
"But..."  
  
"The clinic needs at least one of us to be well-rested," she pointed out gently.  
  
Her brother nodded.  
  
Megumi sat back, leaning against the wall. Please, let this work. She wasn't sure what else she could do if it didn't. Considering all that happened, the effort being meaningless was the last thing she needed. The medicine and Shinomori Aoshi's will to live were all that she had.   
  
She had fallen asleep without realizing it. And what a mistake that was.   
  
When she woke, Megumi moved over to see that her patient was worse than before. Perspiration dotted his forehead, his eyes closed tightly as if in pain, his chest rose and fell slowly with shallow breaths. She placed two fingers on the inside of his wrist. His heart rate had increased ever so slightly. At this stage, it was difficult to take that as a good or bad sign.   
  
He's reacting to the medicine, she thought. But not the way I had hoped...  
  
Megumi looked at the ceiling in despair. Her fear had been right. The antidote would only make it worse. She knew exactly what certain chemicals did to the body when it was introduced. Because of her knowledge and Jiro's list, she had been able to create a mixture that she hoped would counter the poison.  
  
No...Please don't die...   
  
***  
  
All the stress was taking its toll on her. She had leaned against the wall, her legs tucked to one side, promising herself not to fall asleep until he improved. But she had been taking brief naps here and there. Megumi shifted, feeling her muscles stiffen with discomfort. Something brushed her knee.   
  
Her head lifted to see Shinomori Aoshi looking back at her. He looked as exhausted and as worn out as she did, but there was a little light in his blue-gray eyes.  
  
"Are you all right?" he asked quietly.  
  
Megumi moved to a kneeling position, smoothing her hair back. "I should be the one asking that..." She took a breath. "Not too long ago you looked as if the medicine was doing more harm than good..."  
  
He focused his gaze on the ceiling. "I think it needed time to settle...given the fact that I've had the poison in my system for quite some time..."  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
"Still weak...but...the pain is gone..."  
  
"I need to examine you again...just to be sure," she said in a professional voice.  
  
She conducted a physical examination consisting of checking his pulse, temperature, and prodding different parts of his body to see if he was suffering from any pain. By the time she was finished, late morning sun rays began to trickle into his room. Just as a precaution, she gave him a small dose of the medicine again.   
  
"I'm going to sleep," Megumi announced. "You should, too, if you wish to regain your strength..."  
  
He nodded, adjusting the sleeves of his yukata.   
  
When she turned to exit his room, she could sense his eyes following her.   
  
"Takani-sensei?"  
  
She turned to face him.   
  
"Thank you," he said simply. She supposed that it was all he could say. No words could ever convey the gratitude from patient to physician.  
  
She smiled in response, a weary smile but a sincere one.   
  
  
  
  
A/N: I'm sorry if this chapter seemed a bit rushed...there's plenty in store for Aoshi and Megumi.... 


	10. Chapter10

A/N: Okay, after thinking about it, I decided to write a dance scene. (Thanks, Daiji!) It's not as intense as the one Catherine Zeta-Jones and Antonio Banderas had in The Mask of Zorro, but that's okay. ^_^   
  
  
Padding carefully through the hall of the clinic, Aoshi paused for a minute as a wave of dizziness came over his head. He had been asleep for nearly a day. He could feel his strength slowly returning, but considering how long he had been in bed, it would take a few more hours or so to adjust. Closing his eyes, he leaned back against the wall.  
  
The sound of a door sliding caused his eyes to snap open. He tilted his head slightly to see Megumi emerge from her room, dressed in a long-sleeved blouse which buttoned at the throat with a blue brooch and a long green skirt. Her dark hair was left down, falling like a curtain over her shoulders. She caught sight of him as she was placing a cape on.   
  
"Aoshi." Her lips turned up in a smile. "Are you feeling any better?"  
  
"Aa. Thank you...again," he added after a little hesitation. "I see you have an important engagement to attend..."  
  
Megumi shrugged her shoulders, which seemed much more slender without the layers of her kimono and doctor's smock. "The university is having a lecture all day...several doctors from America, Europe, and China will be there. It's an opportunity to learn about the different medical practices of countries. Kazumi-sensei and I will be representing the practices in Aizu."  
  
He nodded once. "Good luck..."  
  
***  
  
Aoshi let out a breath before he continued writing. As part of his investigation, he had to write a clear and concise report of all the events that had happened. He wrote down everything that he remembered, summaries of his conversations with Jiro, his physician, his attacker, everything he could think of. Aoshi paused.  
  
Jiro. What was his role in all of this? Yes, he originally created the poison, but who else knew the formula? Jiro had been missing for nearly a week now. Was he still alive?   
  
Frowning slightly, he lifted his cup of tea. With the cup halfway to his lips, Megumi partially entered the room, bracing herself against the doorframe, taking a deep, shaky breath. She lowered her head, staring at the floor. It would be one of the few occasions he had ever seen her look upset and vulnerable. Takani Megumi was very good at keeping appearances. No wonder. She rarely let anyone see beneath the surface.  
  
"How was the lecture?" Aoshi asked quietly.  
  
She gasped, clutching the doorframe in shock. "Aoshi...I...I didn't realize you were here..."  
  
"My apologies if I startled you," he said softly.  
  
"It's all right..." she waved her her hand in dismissal. "It's been a long day..."  
  
He was tempted to ask her what had happened, but he remained quiet.   
  
"May I join you?" she asked quietly.  
  
He nodded. Megumi sat across from him and poured herself a cup of tea. He watched her every movement from beneath the shadows of his bangs. After taking a sip of tea, the tension in her shoulders eased, and her eyes trailed to the table. Sighing, she removed the cape around her shoulders, the brooch that tightly held the top of her blouse together. Then she unbuttoned the cuffs of her blouse and rolled them up. It was as if the Western outfit she was wearing was uncomfortable and confining.   
  
"The lecture didn't go very well today...at least to me," Megumi began without preamble. Something flickered in her eyes. Anger? Frustration? "Fifty physicians and not even one percent of them were women. Throughout my lecture, all I received were mocking questions."  
  
He arched a brow.  
  
If she expected a response, she gave no indication. She continued speaking, "So many still refuse to believe that herbs do have healing power. They're caught up in magical elixirs and potions that don't work..." Then her eyes narrowed to slits. "What's worse...a young physician from Tokyo brought up my past...asking why any of the physicians should trust a former criminal..." She sighed, looking away. "Kazumi-sensei came to my defense...The Takani family have been doctors in Aizu for many generations...But...it didn't help at all. I'm not surprised at people's ignorance..."  
  
He was reminded again of their history. And he felt partially to blame. She was being discredited because of her past with Kanryu. And he had made sure that she had a past with Kanryu to begin with.  
  
"Takani-sensei..." he spoke up. "I..." He didn't even know where to start.  
  
Her eyes widened as she looked at him. "I don't blame you, if that's what you were thinking..."  
  
He wondered how she gained such insight. Was he that easy to read?   
  
"What happened is in the past," she said softly. "It's behind me now."  
  
He released a breath that he hadn't realized he was holding in. When she came to the Aoiya after Himura's battle at Shishio's headquarters, she had treated the injured Oniwabanshu, himself included. She was very surprised to learn he was there. Afterwards, though, someone had apparently told her what had happened, because she showed less surprise and less fear at the sight of him.   
  
In his opinion, Takani Megumi was an excellent physician. He had not only experienced it first hand, but he had also seen what she had done to help her friends after a battle. While she would not let the opinions of ignorant young doctors bother her, he just knew that it stung, knowing that she could never fit into a profession that was primarily for men. They would always mock her, either for her past, her youth which dictated little experience, or...her looks. They would never take her seriously. And regardless of that, she would continue to help patients in any way she could. She would bring a smile to a child's face. She would receive a breathless thank you from an old woman who couldn't afford medicine. She would receive tears of gratitude from a mother holding her newborn. No matter who doubted her abilities, she would continue to be the best physician possible because she believed in what she did. Takani Megumi really was a remarkable woman.   
  
"What matters is that you help those who need you. Others' opinions shouldn't matter," he said quietly. Then he added with a hint of a smile, "But you already knew that..."  
  
She smiled back. For a moment, the room was suddenly filled with some...some feeling he couldn't name. Pushing the thought to the back of his mind, he sipped his tea and reviewed his notes.  
  
"Megumi-sensei, there's someone here to see you," Ayu's voice called out. Soon she came into view in the doorway, two women dressed in Western attire standing behind her.   
  
"Thank you," Megumi responded, rising to her feet and moving forward. He followed.  
  
Once her assistant left, they got a closer look at the two women. One had gold hair piled in ringlets atop her head, her blue eyes wide with curiosity. The other...was a petite Japanese woman with friendly eyes.   
  
"Can I help you?"  
  
The Japanese woman introduced the woman with gold hair as her employer, Amelia Westfield, a physician in America. They exchanged greetings and introductions.  
  
"I will leave you three to talk..." Aoshi said, turning slightly.  
  
"No, it's all right...Shinomori-san. What we have to say won't take long..." Hotari said.   
  
The American woman began speaking. Aoshi could tell by the sincere tone of voice and warmth in her eyes that she came as a friend, not as an enemy. He could barely understand what she was saying, but he clearly picked up the words female doctors, admire, and knowledge.  
  
"Amelia-sensei was very fascinated by your lecture today at the university," Hotari began. "It brings her great joy to know that female doctors are emerging in different parts of the world. She admires your work and would like to hear more about it. Perhaps set up correspondence and exchange knowledge."  
  
Megumi blinked and a rush of pleasure filled her eyes. "Thank you very much...I...I would like that..."  
  
Hotari fished through her purse. "The details can be worked out later...Amelia-sensei's uncle is an American ambassador staying here in Aizu. He's holding a celebration tommorow night..." She held out an invitation. "We'd like for you both to join us. We'll even provide transportation."  
  
Aoshi was mildly surprised...Megumi even more so, judging by the expression on her face.   
  
"Aoshi?" she prompted.  
  
He nodded.  
  
The American doctor beamed as Hotari clapped her hands in delight.  
  
"Excellent! Let me give you directions and describe the dress code..."  
  
***  
  
"Are you sure this is wise?" Kei asked. "Shinomori-san's been out of bed barely two days..."  
  
Megumi saw Aoshi pause as he hung a blue tie around his neck.   
  
"He heals faster than most, Kei-nii. I recommended bed rest, but not too much. And I doubt he'll be doing any strenuous activity..."  
  
Kei looked in his direction. "Just be careful..."  
  
"We're going to an embassy, not a battlefield," Megumi pulled a loose thread from the sleeve of her lavendar dress.   
  
Her brother studied her critically. "Are all Western gowns so...revealing?"  
  
Megumi sighed. The skirt, which flared out, reached the floor. The neckline of her gown was squarecut, exposing her collarbone and throat, hinting at her feminine curves but hardly putting them on display. Her sleeves flowed, strongly resembling those on a kimono. She had pinned her hair up, with several tendrils framing her face. Purple stones dangled from her ears. Megumi had chosen the outfit since it was the most comfortable. Western clothing could be so constricting. Especially corsets. She refused to wear one.   
  
Distinct sounds of horse hooves echoed outside.   
  
"Your carriage is here," Kei announced, apparently forgetting her outfit. "I'll go outside and greet the driver."  
  
"Are you ready?" Megumi turned to Aoshi, who nodded.   
  
Megumi's eyes widened slightly at the striking image he formed. He wore black boots, charcoal gray pants with matching blazer, white collared shirt and blue tie. Whether he donned a shinobi gi or Western suit, he still held a commanding presence. She placed a cape around her shoulders and headed outside.   
  
"You two enjoy yourselves," Kei said after they got inside the small carriage.   
  
Megumi waved at her brother as the driver took off. Once the clinic was no longer in view, she sat back, looking at the man seated across from her, who was pensively staring out the window.  
  
"Thank you for coming," Megumi spoke up. "I could use the company. Hotari-san encouraged me to bring whomever I wished, but my brother might be needed at the clinic in case of emergency."  
  
"Hotari-san extended an invitation," Aoshi responded. "Besides, one never knows what kind of information can be provided at gatherings like these."   
  
"Always the spy," she said, humor lacing her voice.   
  
He glanced at her before turning his attention back outside. They sat in silence for a while before he spoke up again. "Have you heard from Jiro?"  
  
"Not yet," Megumi answered.   
  
"I have questions to ask him...This needs to be settled as soon as possible. I don't like being away from Kyoto for too long..."  
  
"You didn't seem too eager to go back several days ago," Megumi pointed out gently.  
  
He narrowed his eyes slightly.   
  
"For whatever reason, it's your business, but I'm sure Okina-san would like to hear what you've found. And Misao-chan must be worried about you. She'll always be concerned when it comes to you..."  
  
He was silent for the rest of the ride to the embassy.  
  
***  
  
"You look bored," a soft breathy voice entered his ear.  
  
Aoshi looked up to see a woman dressed in a wide, off-the-shoulder gown sitting next to him. Who was she again? He had been introduced to her several hours ago...That's right...She was the daughter of a visiting military officer. While he admired the fact that she spoke his language, that was all that caught his attention.   
  
"Not exactly..."  
  
"Where is your companion?" she asked.  
  
Aoshi didn't answer. He didn't really know the answer, anyway. The woman, apparently miffed at his lack of response, left. Megumi was probably discussing her work with the American doctor. Either that, or dancing with a gentleman. He hadn't missed the appreciative glances several men had sent in her direction. It reminded him of the ways the ex-gangster used to look at her whenever he was around the both of them. Briefly, he wondered if they ever had a relationship. Then he frowned. It wasn't his business. Just like Misao wasn't the lady doctor's.   
  
He knew there was a good reason on why he had attended this party...he had overheard several conversations. Some mentioned fighting techniques of different militaries around the world, ailments of other parts of the world, scientific advances...such gatherings were always full of information. Collecting knowledge was his specialty. He'd have to remember to record the information he learned.  
  
He looked up to see Megumi take the seat next to him.  
  
"I hope you're enjoying yourself," she said. "Amelia-sensei, Hotari-san and I were continuing our discussion from the clinic."  
  
He nodded. She seemed to be in better spirits.  
  
"Have you ever attended a party like this before?" Megumi asked, folding her hands in her lap.  
  
"I did guard one once," he answered finally. "That was a very short employment..."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"My employer didn't take too kindly to uninvited guests...the ones who appeared at his parties tended to destroy his mansion in the process."  
  
"I'm surprised...the Oniwabanshu are far more skilled than the average guard. It must have been frustrating to deal with such a meager task," she said quietly.  
  
"It had its good points."  
  
After a moment, she then said softly, "You must miss them very much..."  
  
He said nothing. The musicians began to play a slower tune than what they had been playing for the evening. Aoshi watched as several ladies and gentlemen began to sway to the music. Their steps were fluid and graceful as they glided across the dance floor.   
  
"It's a waltz," Megumi explained, watching him. "It's a European dance."  
  
"I know," he replied. He rose to his feet and extended his hand towards her. At the blank expression on her face, he glanced pointedly towards the dancers before looking at her.  
  
  
  
She stared at his outstretched hand for several seconds. "You can waltz?" Megumi's eyes widened.  
  
"You'd be surprised what I know," he said in a low voice. His tone was neither suggestive nor threatening.  
  
"What other surprises do you have?" she quipped. In the past, she reserved her flirtatious nature for Ken-san. It was a pleasant feeling, letting that side out again. It had been a while. She felt comfortable enough with Aoshi to say something like that, knowing that he wouldn't take offense to it.   
  
Once she placed her hand in his, he guided her to the dance floor. She used one hand to hold her skirt up to prevent it from being stepped on, her other hand he lightly held in his. She held her breath as his other hand moved to her shoulderblade.   
  
Megumi had the sneaking suspicion that he didn't dance very much either. Then she felt the slight pressure from the hand that held hers, and the hand at her back loosen as he moved a step towards her, and she moved a step back in response.  
  
He was surprisingly good...For a man who spent his life training to move undetected, he was easy to read and follow. She tried to hold back a smile, but it was useless. At the same time, she felt...anxiety? Excitement?  
  
For the first few minutes, she concentrated on her steps. "Where did you learn to waltz?" she asked suddenly.  
  
"Watching," he responded.  
  
"Honestly?"  
  
He nodded. "It's a simple dance. Alternating foot placement, addition of turns to give the dance variety..."  
  
"You make it sound like a martial art."  
  
"Dancing and martial arts have many similarities," he responded easily.  
  
When she thought about it, it made sense. Megumi realized she wasn't even concentrating on her steps anymore. They just naturally moved with the music.  
  
"You're being watched," Aoshi said, his eyes glancing over her head.  
  
He manuevered them so that she could see whose eyes were on her. Amelia and Hotari smiled at her, waving. Megumi nodded her head in acknowledgment. Distracted momentarily, she didn't step back when he moved forward. Her breath caught as he grew very still. Several inches separated them, yet the warmth of his body curled around her. Her gaze met his as if she was looking at him for the first time. Maybe she was. Uncertainty flickered in his eyes. Abruptly, he dropped his hands  
  
She took a step back. It wasn't as if she was bashful when it came to men. But this...this was Shinomori Aoshi and she wasn't sure how to handle this. Pasting a smile on her face, she spoke up, "I must be feeling tired...Perhaps we should head back to the clinic?"  
  
Judging by his expression, he didn't buy it. But he nodded.  
  
"I'll freshen up first," she said quickly.  
  
"I'll wait for you near the front..." he said over his shoulder as he turned to walk away.  
  
  
  
Ten minutes later, Aoshi glanced toward the hallway leading to the heart of the embassy. His eyes turned to the grandfather clock propped against the wall.   
  
She's been gone for too long...he thought. A sinking feeling crept inside of him. He swallowed, unable to fight his intuition, this knowledge that something had gone very, very wrong...  
  
Aoshi briskly walked in the direction of the men and ladies' rooms. The hall was empty, half lit by lamps connected to walls and the crystal chandelier that hung high in the ceiling. Aoshi surveyed the area. Something was definitely wrong...  
  
A sparkle caught his eye. Aoshi walked over. Several steps in front of the ladies room was Megumi's earring. He bent to pick it up, glancing at the door of the ladies' room. Then he knocked on the door. No response. He knocked again, louder this time. Silence.  
  
Propriety aside, he opened the door and kept his eyes averted. "Takani-sensei?"  
  
Silence. The wind gently fluttered the curtain across the hallway. Aoshi's eyes narrowed slightly. He walked silently towards the window, moving the delicate material aside. That particular window was the only one open.  
  
That feeling had intensified. He looked at the earring he held in his hand.  
  
***  
  
Megumi's eyes fluttered open. What happened? Where was she? Why couldn't she move her arms? It took several moments, but she soon realized that her arms were bound behind her back. She was...in a carriage? Curtains blocked out the moon, she couldn't see where the carriage was going. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could see the form of a man sitting across from her. His features were concealed in the shadows. She swallowed fiercely, a sliver of fear coursing through her, causing her heart to pound.  
  
"Desperate times call for desperate measures. Don't you agree?" a voice spoke up.  
  
Megumi paled at the sound of his voice, her scream muffled by the kerchief tied over her mouth. No...no...it can't be...! she cried inwardly.  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Okay, I hate the waltz. I much prefer the Latin Ballroom dancing, mainly because I cannot do that stupid weight shift on the balls of your feet thing! I look like a hopping rabbit. Oh yeah, and thank you Disney, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty make it look SO graceful. ^_^ Originally I was going to have Megumi drag him on the dance floor, but I thought it'd be more interesting if he took the initiative.  
  
I didn't plan on making this an Aoshi/Megumi fic...but the idea's grown on me. So here's my addition to the few Aoshi/Megumi fics out there! *cheers* 


	11. Chapter11

He slid open the main entrance to the clinic door, silently stepping inside. Aoshi loosened his tie and sat down on the cushions that lined the waiting room. His eyes drifted to a spot where ribbons of moonlight flowed through the window.   
  
He had searched the embassy for nearly an hour. One of the valet outside had said that he saw a woman matching her description, but she had left with a gentleman in a carriage. She had apparently fainted, feeling ill, the gentleman said. When Aoshi asked what he had looked like, the man tartly replied that he had his eyes only for the woman, not her companion.  
  
Straightening in his sitting position, Aoshi sensed Kei enter the room.   
  
"Where's my sister?" Kei asked.  
  
He hesitated before answering. "I don't know."  
  
Even in the darkness, Aoshi could see Kei's expression of shock and disbelief. "What do you mean by that?"  
  
"She's missing," Aoshi said calmly. "We decided to leave early. I waited for her…but she never came."  
  
"You bastard! How could you let someone do this!" Kei lunged towards him, grabbing his shirtfront.  
  
Aoshi let him, knowing full well he could have counterattacked if he wanted to.   
  
"I knew you staying here was a bad idea. I told her that-"  
  
"Takani-sensei," Aoshi interrupted. "I-" His eyes widened in alarm.  
  
"What? What is it?"  
  
Aoshi shushed him. Then he heard it. The whistling of a kunai, followed by a thump.   
  
Silence.   
  
Their visitor was gone. Aoshi crept to the clinic door and slid it open. The knife was imbedded in the doorframe with a note tied around it.   
  
Kei's eyes rounded.  
  
Aoshi pulled the letter out while Kei lit a lantern. After unfolding it and skimming its contents, Aoshi set it on a table, looking outside, his lips pressed together in a grim line. Kei snatched the letter and read, his jaw dropping in horror.  
  
"Shinomori Aoshi, location twenty-one, this afternoon if you want answers regarding Takani Megumi," Kei whispered shakily. "She...She's been kidnapped? W…Why?"  
  
"Isn't it obvious?" Aoshi responded. "They're trying to lure me out…and she has something they want…"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I wish I could answer that..."  
  
"What are you going to do?" Kei asked.  
  
"Meet the sender as requested," Aoshi answered.  
  
Kei looked at him for a moment. "Where's location twenty-one?" he asked in a puzzled tone.  
  
Instead of answering, Aoshi headed down the hallway leading to his room, pulling off his tie.  
  
"Shinomori-san!" Kei called out. Then he dashed after the onmitsu, viciously grabbing his arm.  
  
In the blink of an eye, Aoshi had maneuvered his arm so that the male doctor no longer had him by the sleeve. "It's late. We should both get some sleep..."  
  
"Why didn't you answer my question?"  
  
"As I said, Takani-sensei-"  
  
"Dammit, don't play games with me!" Kei nearly shouted.  
  
Aoshi let out a breath. "All right..." He opened the door to his room. "Location twenty-one is one of the designated meeting areas the Oniwabanshu used whenever they were in Aizu."  
  
Kei's face went completely ashen. "Please tell me that an Oniwabanshu didn't kidnap my sister..."  
  
"I don't know," Aoshi responded calmly. "I'll know later in the day..." He closed the door of his room, leaving the doctor to himself.  
  
***  
  
The blades glinted in the afternoon sun which filtered into his room. Aoshi took a deep breath, examining the two kodachi peeking out of its single sheath.  
  
When was the last time he picked up these swords to fight against an enemy? It had been a long time...a year...possibly two? He had trained and meditated nearly every day, but he hadn't fought an opponent in a while. Thanks to Okina's suggestion, he had brought the kodachi with him to Aizu, concealing them in his bag. When he had fallen ill, one of Jiro's children had brought his belongings over to the clinic.  
  
Aoshi examined the blades once more before placing them back inside their casing.   
  
Takani Megumi. So many questions he had. Who kidnapped her? Why?   
  
"Shinomori-san," Kei spoke up from the doorway of his room.  
  
Aoshi turned, tucking his sheathed swords against his arm. "Nani?"  
  
"I want my sister back," Kei said, swallowing.   
  
"I know," Aoshi said quietly. "I'll do everything I can to bring her back."  
  
Kei closed his eyes, his fists clenched tightly. "She told me everything about you...I told her having you here was dangerous, but she kept you here anyway." His eyes flashing, he spat, "This is all your doing, Shinomori. If you hadn't dragged her along into...whatever your affairs are...she wouldn't be missing!"  
  
Aoshi looked away. After that comment, what else could be said?  
  
"Sumanai..."  
  
"You come into town, thinking you can do whatever you want to, asking to use our resources, dragging her along on searches..."  
  
"Your sister helped me of her own free will," Aoshi insisted. Yet deep down, he knew he was partially to blame.  
  
"Why couldn't you look after her?" Kei demanded. "With all your training, I know you have the skill!" He cursed. "I just found her again after all these years...I can't lose her now!"  
  
"She saved my life. So I will save hers."  
  
The young doctor studied him for a few moments. Anger still flashed in his eyes. "She obviously thinks there's a redeeming quality in you...considering what you've done in the past. For her sake...I hope she's right. I don't want her hurt anymore than she has been."  
  
Aoshi briefly wondered exactly how much of their history did she tell Kei. Their tie to Kanryu, he suspected was a given. But there was more. He said quietly, "Your sister is much stronger than you think." When the other man didn't respond, a ghost of a smile touched Aoshi's lips. "I wouldn't be surprised if she found a way to escape."  
  
"How do you know?" Kei scoffed.  
  
"Because she escaped me once," Aoshi responded easily before turning to exit the clinic.   
  
***  
  
Megumi looked around her room. She appeared to be underground, in a storage shed, perhaps? The only way out was through a wooden trap door several feet above her head. She'd go for an escape if she knew where she was. Two guards were posted at the door, preventing a quick getaway. She sat on the ground, cupping her elbows.   
  
She couldn't believe it. He was responsible for all this. Her throat clogged with anxiety. It would only be a matter of time before he got what he wanted from her...  
  
***  
  
In spite of what he said, he still felt responsible for her disappearance. Aoshi knew that he shouldn't have gotten her involved. Anytime anyone got involved in Oniwabanshu affairs, there was the possibility of disaster.   
  
Nevertheless, he would do everything he could to bring her back to her waiting sibling. It was the least he could do for her, after all she had done for him.   
  
He waited patiently in a clearing several miles outside of town, knowing that he would not be disturbed there. Large trees loomed over the surrounding area, providing a natural barrier against passersby.   
  
Immediately, he felt a presence. Aoshi turned, his eyes widening at the man who stood behind him.  
  
"You," Aoshi muttered.  
  
The older man nodded his head once. "It was something that needed to be done..."  
  
"Why the deceit, Jiro?" The onmitsu studied the man with whom he'd been acquainted with since he was a child. A trusted friend of Okina and the Oniwabanshu. Like a shooting star, that trust had faded in an instant. How could he have not seen it coming? He should have. Trust. A very fragile gift indeed.   
  
The older man reached behind his back to retrieve his weapon, a staff made of extremely strong metal. Heaving a deep sigh, his grip on his weapon choice tightened. "I am sorry, old friend. But now is not the time for explanations..."  
  
Narrowing his eyes, Aoshi unsheathed his nitou kodachi. "So be it..."  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Okay, who saw that coming? Honestly, now. Don't you LOVE these cliffhangers? Sorry if this is so short, but I feel I ended it at the right part. I'll need some time to create the fight scene between Jiro and Aoshi since I'm TERRIBLE at writing those things...And I have NO CLUE how to spell the attacks Aoshi performs. (Research time!) I'll be REALLY surprised if I post a chappie within 3 days. Thanks a lot to everyone who's been reading this fic. 


	12. Chapter12

A/N: First thing first...this chapter was VERY, VERY, VERY difficult to write. I'm terrible at writing fight scenes. For a girl who loves to play fighting games, you'd think I can write a fight scene...Anyway, this was one of those I'll write it so I can move on type of chapters...and yet this was also inevitable. If I didn't write it, then the story couldn't exactly go on...if Aoshi not fighting Jiro, he'd have to fight somebody, so it might as well be him. Believe me when I say that I absolutely, positively wanted to get this chapter overwith.   
  
Oh yeah, thanks to Memphis Long/Dan (one of the coolest Street Fighter fanfic writers) for helping with Jiro's moves. I know you went all out, even though you didn't have to...and I didn't use all of them in here...but I really do appreciate the help.  
  
  
  
  
Aoshi let his kodachi sheath fall to the ground. The instant it hit, he dashed forward, kodachi crossed, prepared to slice. Jiro prepared himself, his body shifting. His staff flew up, blocking the younger man's attack. With a flick of his hand, Jiro's weapon arced to hit Aoshi in the shoulder.   
  
Aoshi winced in pain and suddenly moved aside as the staff came straight towards his chest. Aoshi jumped back, just outside of Jiro's range.   
  
His old acquaintance studied him thoughtfully. Then Jiro raised his weapon, preparing to either defend himself or strike...he could do either.   
  
Aoshi narrowed his eyes. There was one thought in the back of his mind that had emerged from the moment he left the clinic until the second he clashed weapons with Jiro. He wasn't at full strength. Not because he had neglected his training. But Aoshi had spent nearly two weeks in bed, and that time was enough to weaken him slightly. Normally Jiro's weapon of choice wouldn't bother Aoshi...he could always read an opponent whose weapon was longer than the kodachi blade. It gave him an advantage, allowing him to anticipate their attack if he wished to go on the defensive. With an inperceptible grimace, Aoshi's grip tightened on his blades.   
  
He lunged towards Jiro. His eyes widened a fraction, and he stepped aside just in time, the staff nicking his shoulder and the area below his collarbone. The strike was strong enough so that it tore his shinobi uniform. Aoshi jumped back to his starting point, glancing down at the damage. It was too clean of a cut to have snagged onto the metal...which meant that tiny blades were installed at the very end of the staff.  
  
His incredible speed keeps an opponent at bay, Aoshi thought. It was no wonder why he wasn't able to get in close enough. He frowned. Jiro is defensive...he uses the opponent's momentum against them by waiting for their attack and counterattacking. The opponent's forward motion combined with the speed of Jiro's stabs make it very difficult for an opponent to get close.  
  
Tightening his jaw, Aoshi ran forward. This time, he anticipated Jiro's attack and stepped to the side while simultaneously deflecting the staff with his kodachi and hitting the older man with a fierce kick to the midsection.  
  
Jiro flew back several feet, losing his grip on his staff.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Megumi began to stir the powdered mixture in the water. She glanced at the man who had been placed in her room. Her reason for being captured in the first place.  
  
She hadn't heard much of her captors' conversations, but all she knew was that the unconscious man behind her was the leader's younger brother. And he had been exposed to the very same poison that Aoshi had.  
  
She observed the powder disintegrate and merge with the water. Not too long ago, two of her captors had taken her out to pick the herbs that would help cure their comrade. They had even attached ropes to her wrists and ankles to prevent escape. While it was a wise idea, it gave her the opportunity to see the area surrounding her prison.   
  
She and Kei used to play in this area, before the house and underground shed were built on it. They used to have family picnics there.   
  
"Is...Is it ready?" a voice whispered.  
  
Megumi turned around. While most people wouldn't bother to help an enemy, Megumi did just the opposite. He was suffering, and it was her job to help people get better.   
  
"I think so..." Megumi moved towards him and let him drink the liquid.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Aoshi stood over Jiro, who was breathing heavily thanks to the kick.   
  
"Start talking, Jiro."  
  
Jiro's eyes narrowed. "You have too much confidence, Aoshi..."  
  
Suddenly, he flicked his wrists and jumped away, setting off several smoke bombs. Aoshi coughed as the smoke burned his throat before shielding his nose and mouth with his sleeve. Tuning into his senses, he felt rather than heard Jiro from behind him.  
  
"Haiaku Fungeki!" a loud cry emerged from behind Aoshi.  
  
Before he had the chance to react, the okashira felt a searing pain on his upper back...  
  
  
***  
  
  
"The medicine takes a couple hours to absorb into the body," Megumi instructed.   
  
"Thank you..."  
  
"You should rest more," she said quietly. "Your comrades are going to check and see if you're recovering..."  
  
Her fists tightened. Jiro. He had fooled everyone. Aoshi, herself...Why?  
  
"I...I'm sorry...about all of this..." her new patient whispered.  
  
Megumi's eyes widened.  
  
  
***  
  
  
When the smoke cleared, Aoshi could see Jiro standing several feet away, staff in hand. Wincing slightly, Aoshi straightened to his full height. He could feel tension in his back begin to spread to the rest of his body.   
  
Although they had known each other for years and known the weapons and fighting style used, they had never seen the other in battle. Okina did praise Jiro's skill...Back when he was an informant for the Oniwabanshu, Jiro had many enemies...and he had been able to take care of them rather quickly.  
  
"It's been a long time since I fought a swordsman with your skill," Jiro commented casually.  
  
Aoshi said nothing.  
  
Jiro sprinted forward, weapon ready. Aoshi ran towards him, anticipating an attack. As soon as he saw the staff move, he jumped out of the way, his eyes widening as Jiro sidestepped in his direction, the staff moving in a wide arc right towards his jaw. Aoshi quickly dodged.  
  
"Kodachi Nitou Ryu Onmyou Hasshi!" Aoshi hurled his swords in a single line towards his opponent.  
  
Jiro quickly swung his bo to deflect the first kodachi, the motion leaving him wide open for the second kodachi, which pierced his shoulder several quarter inches. He released a hiss of pain, completely unprepared when Aoshi attacked with several quick, fierce punches.   
  
Jiro fell to his knees, his chest and ribs beginning to bruise.  
  
Aoshi bent slightly to retrieve his swords, keeping a watchful eye on the old man.  
  
"Are you ready to answer now?" Aoshi asked quietly.  
  
Something flashed in the old man's eyes. He flicked his wrist and Aoshi leapt out of the way as smoke engulfed both of them.  
  
"Shichinanhakku!"  
  
Aoshi immediately felt several quick blows to his chest, arms, and jaw. Taking a risk after the eighth attack, he ducked and sprang forward, slashing outward right above Jiro's pelvis bone.   
  
The old man dropped his staff and fell to the ground, clutching his side. He stared at Aoshi in shock.  
  
"You...You broke through my best attack...how...How...?"  
  
Aoshi studied him carefully. "Fifteen attacks...random...but well-placed. By the eighth attack, your speed decreased due to your injuries."  
  
"So that's how you were able to escape..." Jiro cringed, his face drawn with pain.  
  
"Why?" Aoshi demanded in a quiet, controlled voice.   
  
Judging by the old man's expression, he knew what he was asking. Why was he poisoned? Why the deceit? Why kidnap Takani Megumi?  
  
"I had no choice," Jiro responded, wincing again as another bout of pain coursed through his side.   
  
Aoshi's eyes narrowed to slits.  
  
"I don't expect you to understand, Aoshi," Jiro croaked, taking in shallow breaths of air. "But I never meant for you or Megumi-sensei to get involved..."  
  
"More lies..." Aoshi muttered.  
  
"No," Jiro insisted wearily. "I had to do what they said..."  
  
"They?"  
  
"It...It was the only way I could save my grandson..."  
  
Aoshi's features remained impassive. "What are you talking about?"   
  
"Years ago...before I met the Oniwabanshu...I had created this poison as a killing method...for those that needed to die of unusual causes."  
  
"You used it as an assassination tool," Aoshi stated.  
  
Jiro nodded. "When Emperor Meiji became ruler...I...I had no place in his new era...my family nearly starved...so I sold the poison so I could provide for my family..." He shivered slightly. "The group who bought it from me...They...They have no name...I don't think they even have a purpose...And they've been using it all over Japan for the last seven years. They started running low on supply recently...and demanded I make more for them...I refused...so...so they kidnapped my grandson several days ago...not long after you first came here investigating. When I went to rescue him during a fight...one of their men was accidentally exposed to the poison..."  
  
Aoshi lowered his swords. "What about your children? Do they know-?"  
  
"His parents think that he is spending time with a family friend for several days. They...They gave my grandson the very same poison while I watched..." The old man's eyes filled.  
  
Was there ever an end to the man's lies? "You still have not told me how Takani-sensei and I fit into this situation..."  
  
"They used you both. They had seen us investigating, so the group thought that if you were poisoned...Megumi-sensei could cure you."  
  
"But you sent the letter containing the poison's ingredients," Aoshi replied.  
  
"It seemed that Megumi-sensei was getting nowhere fast enough...so I convinced them to let me write to her...I was never going to reveal that I was the source of your sickness, Aoshi...She was supposed to cure you and one of the group members would steal the antidote and give it to their dying comrade and my grandson."  
  
"Takani-sensei made plenty medicine. Kidnapping her was unnecessary."  
  
"But they couldn't find it!" Jiro insisted. "The night of the embassy ball, one of the group members faked a housecall for Kei-sensei to get him out of the clinic...If they found the antidote, they were to set off a firework that could be seen from the embassy where one of the members had followed you and Megumi-sensei just as a precation. The firework never went off, so she was taken."  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"In their hideout three miles southeast of-" The old man's eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he fell unconscious.  
  
"Jiro." Aoshi shook him slightly. And he heard it...the ever so slight shuffling of leaves and brush. His eyes trailed to an area where he detected the sound.  
  
It came again. Aoshi bent to inspect Jiro, seeing a white dart sticking out of his upper back. It appeared to be harmless...just used to render someone to sleep.   
  
He had to move fast. Aoshi quickly carried Jiro to the main road.   
  
Fortunately for him, a merchant happened to be passing through when Aoshi stopped him. Startled, the merchant just watched Aoshi load Jiro onto the back of his cart.  
  
"Take him to the Takani clinic in Aizu, ask for Takani Kei, this man is a recurring patient of his," Aoshi ordered. At the merchant's flabbergasted expression, he barked, "Hurry!"  
  
That seemed to galvanize the merchant into action and he whipped the reins of his horse.  
  
Aoshi turned away as soon as the cart moved along.  
  
Minutes later, he found the trail of Jiro's attacker. He's not very good at hiding his tracks, Aoshi mentally noted. Ignoring the pain on his back, shoulders and jaw thanks to Jiro, he broke into a run.  
  
Aoshi had needed several doses to rid his system of the poison. He fervently hoped that she was able to convince her captors that the same procedure was required for their comrade. He didn't want to think about the possibility of her being dead.   
  
  
  
  
A/N: Hi again. Okay, Jiro didn't exactly answer everything...such as why the poison was being used...most of the those will be featured in the next chapter. Thanks again, everybody! It's time for me to sleep... 


	13. Chapter13

Megumi looked up as the doors opened. A small boy, no older than eight years, was roughly shoved into her prison. He scrambled to escape, only to have the guards close the door on his face. Then he turned, his eyes widening at the sight of Megumi, who was just as surprised to see him.  
  
"Yuuta-chan?"   
  
"Megumi-sensei?"  
  
She had seen Jiro's grandson several times since Jiro had been visiting the clinic. But why was he here? Did he have any idea what kind of actions his grandfather was responsible for?   
  
"What are you doing here, Yuuta-chan? Where's your grandfather?" Megumi asked gently.  
  
The boy looked away sadly. "Ren said that Ojii-san is going away...and he's never coming back..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Ojii-san can't come back..." Yuuta curled into a ball on the floor, obviously miserable.  
  
"Come here, Yuuta-chan," Megumi instructed gently but firmly.  
  
The boy obliged, lying down beside her. Megumi had him lay his head on her lap. He looked exhausted. And he probably hadn't eaten much over the last few days. She stroked his hair, the sensation apparently lulling him to sleep.   
  
Silence filled the room. She hadn't known how much time had passed.   
  
"Ren...is my brother...and...leader of this group," her patient said quietly.  
  
Her head moved up to see him struggle to a sitting position.  
  
Megumi sighed, rubbing her temples. "I'm not understanding any of this...Jiro-san...Yuuta-chan..."  
  
"Everyone has a dark secret, Takani-san," the man responded. "Sometimes people find out about them and try to manipulate..."  
  
"So...you're saying that..." Megumi glanced at the sleeping boy. "He...really did make that...substance?"  
  
Her patient picked up on her subtle cue. "A long time ago, yes. He was poor, nearly starving...so he sold it. We've been using it for the last six years..."  
  
"Your organization?" she asked for clarification.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And what is that, exactly?"  
  
"We do not call ourselves anything. We much prefer to remain anonymous."  
  
Megumi sighed. "But you have an individual name."  
  
"Correct. My name is Fukai." He stared at the ceiling. "Days ago...we were running out of the substance...and Ren told Jiro to make more. When Jiro refused, Ren told some of our comrades to take Yuuta as incentive...but...we had forgotten about Jiro's resourcefulness...and he found us. We tried to keep him at bay, but everything happened so fast...and I got poisoned..."  
  
She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Why are you telling me this?"  
  
Her patient swallowed fiercely. "It has to stop, Takani-san. During the wars years ago, Ren and I lost our entire family. Our parents...our grandparents...our siblings...even relatives in distant cities...our uncles...aunts...our entire family was eliminated."  
  
"And the thirty warriors who died thanks to the poison?" she whispered.  
  
"They were all responsible for killing our family in some form," he responded softly. "Ren and I...we lost everything...Ren...refused to let go of the past...so we spent years trying to get revenge...and we heard about Jiro's poison...Ren...Ren thought it would be more fitting to let them suffer a painful death as opposed to the slice of a sword. He and I...were never skilled in fighting to begin with..."  
  
"That still doesn't excuse what you've done," Megumi scolded.  
  
His eyes burned with shame. "I know. When...When Ren realized what had happened, he demanded Jiro find a cure...toyed with Jiro's mind...and forced Yuuta to drink water laced with the poison."  
  
"But Yuuta-chan was never poisoned," Megumi concluded. "Ren...never poisoned him..."  
  
"Right. We had seen Jiro's friend investigate...he made several inquiries at different houses...and he visited you frequently...so Ren decided to poison Shinomori Aoshi in the hopes that you would be able to cure him." He lowered his head. "I was going through so much agony...and I would hear Ren's discussions...I knew exactly what was going on..."  
  
It had taken Fukai another twenty minutes to explain everything, from the letter listing ingredients to her kidnapping at the embassy. In spite of his illness, he had heard everything. While he lay, suffering, Ren had come to him explaining his plans with fierce promises of recovery.  
  
"Ren and I...were wrong...Ren for being unable to let go...and letting his anger consume him...and...myself for allowing his goal to influence me..." Fukai whispered. Then he looked up. "Takani-san...earlier...Jiro went to fight Shinomori Aoshi..."  
  
Megumi took a deep breath. "No..." Aoshi...He...He has to be careful...He isn't at full strength...  
  
  
***  
  
Kei finished wrapping Jiro's shoulder.   
  
"What now?" Jiro asked hoarsely.  
  
"You have several bruises, some will take longer to heal than others," Kei announced. "But you'll be better in about a month."  
  
Jiro lowered his eyes. "Kei-sensei...I...I never meant..."  
  
As if anticipating the speech, the young doctor's eyes dimmed, and he turned away. "While I understand what you are going through...I don't think I could ever forgive you for what you have done. As soon as Ayu is finished with your paperwork...I don't want you near this clinic again."  
  
Even after all his explanation, he was still seen as evil. His behavior was unacceptable. Jiro swallowed fiercely. "I...I understand..."  
  
Kei took in a deep breath as he finished cleaning up.  
  
"Kei-sensei?"  
  
"Nani?"   
  
"Ren...plans to kill Megumi-sensei once she's outweighed her usefulness," Jiro said quietly. "And anyone else who knows about him..."  
  
Kei's arms tightened. "W...When?" he rasped.  
  
"As soon as Fukai is feeling strong enough, I suppose." Jiro whispered.  
  
Kei's eyes shut close. So that was it. He wasn't going to see his sister ever again. "How could you do this?" Kei sank to the chair. "How would your family feel about all of this?! They'd rather starve than aid you in becoming a murderer, no matter how little involvement you've had!"  
  
"I have lived with that regret for nearly ten years," Jiro said emphatically. "Because of what I have done, I have brought dishonor to my family. I'm aware of my crimes, Sensei. But-"  
  
"And Shinomori-san..." Kei whispered. "He only became involved because of you...He would have never been in Aizu if it weren't for you...Megumi-chan would never have been kidnapped if it weren't-"  
  
"He'll find her," Jiro assured firmly. At Kei's skeptical expression, he added. "He will."  
  
"I don't-"  
  
"Kei-sensei...you have to be strong for both of their sakes," Jiro insisted.   
  
The young doctor looked out the window. Shinomori-san...I pray you'll reach my sister in time...I can't lose her again...  
  
  
***  
  
  
Aoshi paused to catch his breath, bracing himself against a tree trunk. His entire body was aching due to his fight with Jiro. The old man had done more damage than he first thought. Aoshi took a deep breath, his fingers clinging to the brace behind him, as he looked at the sky, with pale streaks of orange. The sun was slowly fading, soon to be replaced by the night sky.   
  
Takani-sensei...Megumi, he thought. His jaw tightened, and he pushed himself away from the tree.  
  
He'd do everything he could to bring her back. Her brother was waiting.  
  
  
***   
  
  
"Wait! Where are you going?" Megumi demanded as several men escorted Fukai out of the shed.  
  
They were all dressed in gray. Megumi realized how few of them formed the group. There were about five men standing at the entrance.   
  
"I'd like to thank you, Takani Megumi, for all your help," one man spoke up from beneath a gray mask. "Now that you have done what you were supposed to..."   
  
Megumi's eyes widened in horror as two restrained both her and Yuuta. The men appeared to be pouring some type of substance at the entrance and along the front wall of the shed.   
  
"What are you doing?!" Megumi shouted.   
  
"Megumi-sensei?!" Yuuta cried out in a panicked voice.  
  
"Ren..." Fukai protested. "Don't...they're innocent. She saved my life. How can you-?"  
  
The one who had spoken to Megumi raised a hand to indicate silence. Fukai stared at his brother in shock.  
  
One man ran from the woods up to the entrance, breathing heavily. "Ren-sama..."  
  
Ren turned. "Yes?"  
  
"Jiro lost to Shinomori Aoshi."  
  
Megumi's head snapped up.   
  
"But Jiro did inflict damage...I put him to sleep but I didn't have enough to take care of Shinomori. Shinomori is probably on my trail...he could be here any minute...Possibly with the police..."  
  
Irritation crossed over Ren's eyes. "We're leaving now." He turned and quickly mounted his horse. "Let's go..."  
  
Aoshi...Megumi felt a lump in her throat. Any further thoughts were interrupted as she and Yuuta were thrown against the back wall. As soon as she was able to stand up, she grabbed Yuuta's hand and hurried forward, only to stop abruptly as one of the men threw down a match. Flames shot to the ceiling as the doors closed.  
  
"Megumi-sensei!!!" Yuuta cried frantically, clutching the side of her leg.  
  
Her heart pounded rapidly. Smoke quickly began to fill the small space. She covered her nose and mouth with her sleeve, shielding the young boy with her slender frame, her eyes tearing as heat flicked over their bodies.   
  
  
***  
  
  
A distinct sound could be heard in the late afternoon sky.   
  
Aoshi hurried forward, his eyes widening at the sight of black smoke. A small house and underground shed built against it had been set on fire...the flames stretching to the heavens.   
  
He could hear a high-pitched scream emerge from the structure. The house? The shed? Aoshi headed towards the house, jumping back as burning timber fell at his feet, setting the grass on fire.  
  
"Megumi!" he called out as loud as he could, hoping that she could hear him above the flames.   
  
A very faint response entered his ears.   
  
He shouted her name again. A faint reply, which sounded much very like her voice, came from the shed. He rushed over and stepped as close to the entrance as he could. From the corner of his eye, he could see a well at the back of the house.   
  
Moving quickly, he began to fill the two pails by the well with water. Just before he managed to fill the second one, he heard crackling...as if the structure was breaking. His head snapped up the moment several large beams fell directly into the shed causing the flames to dance higher.  
  
No...  
  
Wincing at the pain the action caused, he lifted the water towards the shed and attempted to extinguish the flames. It wouldn't be easy, but he had to at least try...  
  
  
It had taken a lot of work. It was dark outside by the time he had finished. And he was practically dead on his feet. The fire seemed much smaller now, and it was only occupying the opposite side of the house burning the remaining wood, leaving a pile of charred stone.   
  
There was no way she could have survived. But he needed to see for himself.   
  
On his knees, Aoshi pulled the burned wood off where the shed entrance once was. It only seemed to reveal more layers of what had formed the house. He closed his eyes, trying to draw strength.  
  
The sound of horse hooves entered his ears. But he sensed no battle aura. Aoshi turned to see five policemen on horseback approach the area.   
  
One on the lead horse, apparently the head of the small unit, jumped off.   
  
"Are you Shinomori Aoshi?"  
  
Staring at the shed and house, Aoshi nodded.  
  
"We received some information from Takani Kei and Kurihana Jiro that you would be here looking for Takani-san's younger sister and Kurihana-san's grandson..." The police officer examined the structure as his men scrambled to put the flames out.   
  
"She was here...but..." Aoshi said quietly.   
  
The man seemed to know what he was going to say. "I'm sorry, Shinomori-san..." the police officer said sadly.  
  
Aoshi stood up and proceeded to walk into the woods, in the direction of the main road that led to Aizu.  
  
No...I should be sorry...Aoshi thought.   
  
Clenching his jaw, he drew his kodachi and blindly sliced to his right, causing a tree to tilt and fall over directly in his path. He didn't even flinch as leaves and twigs went flying, the sound echoing into the night.  
  
The police officers had gasped in shocked, but they didn't lecture him for his sudden action.   
  
Drained and exhausted, Aoshi climbed over the tree trunk and proceeded to walk away from the site, his head lowered.   
  
What was he going to tell Megumi's brother? 


	14. Chapter14

A/N: I'm done! Can you believe it?! Like I'd kill Megumi (who I happen to have much more respect for since writing this)...but anyway, there's more Megumi/Aoshi interaction...a LOT more in this chappie...  
  
  
  
Megumi clutched the tree as she tried to stand up straight. Giving up, she allowed herself the luxury of leaning back, gazing at the sky as tears streamed down her cheeks.  
  
She was alive. Tired, trembling...but alive.   
  
Aoshi...she thought.  
  
She had heard him call out to her...But time had been racing against her. The room had become black with smoke, making it difficult to see. She and Yuuta had cowered onto the ground. Yuuta had noticed a wooden door beneath the Western-style bed that Fukai had been resting on. They both moved the bed aside, grabbed several necessary items and crawled through. Megumi had been surprised when she tumbled into a tunnel, spraining her ankle along the way.   
  
Yuuta suggested they see the end, and Megumi agreed. Megumi and Yuuta had crawled in the darkness for what seemed to be for miles. The tunnel, while large enough to fit a standing person at the entrance in the shed, had grown smaller and smaller. But the night sky appeared above them, and they crawled out, the exit in a cluster of bushes and trees, far away from the house. It must have been some escape route...  
  
"Megumi-sensei...are you all right?"  
  
The lady doctor nodded. "Yes, Yuuta-chan. How about you?"  
  
"I'm okay...I think..."  
  
Silence. They quietly celebrated their survival. Although they knew that they had to get back to Aizu, both woman and child just savored the night sky's cold breeze.  
  
A shadowy figure materialized in front of them. Megumi and Yuuta screamed simultaneously. Then Megumi pressed a hand to her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.  
  
"Aoshi..." He looked like she felt. His clothing was torn in several places, soot streaked his neck and face. His shinobi gi was left partially open, exposing his collarbone, and from that point up, his tanned skin glowed with perspiration. She lowered her eyes. "You...You startled us..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
At first, it didn't register in his brain. But she was there...standing before him.  
  
Hesitantly, he reached out, grasping her chin in his hand, tilting her head so that he could meet her gaze. Weariness, shadows of fear, and spirit combined shone in her eloquent eyes.   
  
Incredible relief flooded through him, causing his body to tremble. Hoping to disguise the action, he dropped his hand, but his eyes never left her form, examining her from the top of her head, her once nicely pinned up hair falling in several thick strands, loosening from the fancy twist. Her ivory skin was smudged with soot and dirt. Her lips were the color of a pale rose, completely bare from their trademark red paint. And the elegant gown she had worn at the embassy was torn in several places, streaked with dirt.   
  
Yet, in spite of her weary appearance, she looked incredible. He swallowed, confused at the emotions raging inside of him.  
  
"You...You're alive. How...?" he asked quietly, unable to finish his sentence.  
  
Immediately, her eyes began to fill with unshed tears, and she gave him a smile, a smile that lit up her features. "You're late." She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. "As for how...I'll tell you later..."  
  
His mouth quirked up in a brief smile. Then he focused his gaze on the young boy clinging to her side. "Are you-?"  
  
Her eyes opened. "Yuuta-chan," Megumi answered softly. "Jiro-san's grandson..."  
  
"I see..."  
  
"How...How is he?" she asked.  
  
Aoshi looked at her, knowing what she was really asking. "He's fine...It...will take some time for him to heal...but he'll be all right..." He had held back. Slightly.   
  
She lifted a hand to run a finger along an area where his gi was cut by Jiro's staff. "It looks like you had a hard time..."  
  
"I'll be fine. We need to head back to Aizu..."  
  
She bit her lip. "I...I sprained my ankle while trying to escape the fire...I can barely walk on it..."  
  
Aoshi leaned back against a tree next to hers, placing him just several feet away from her. He was so exhausted, he wasn't sure he could carry her all the way to Aizu. He needed to gather his strength. "All right. We'll rest for a while...then I can take you back to the clinic. Your kidnappers are probably long gone now..."  
  
Within a few minutes, Yuuta had started a fire and Megumi proceeded to dress Aoshi's wounds.  
  
She let out a hissing breath as she shifted her weight as she sat next to him. Aoshi glanced at her.  
  
"Yuuta," he instructed. "Go find as many flat wood pieces you can so we can wrap Megumi-sensei's ankle."  
  
The young boy nodded and proceeded to count to a hundred out loud indicating his location as he walked off, torch in hand.  
  
"Excuse me..." Megumi got to her knees and with her back to him, hitched up her skirt and yanked something off of her leg.   
  
His eyes widened, realizing that she had strapped her medical kit to her leg. "You carry that with you all the time?"  
  
As she settled next to him, she nodded, saying, "I never know when I might need it..." She opened the small box, revealing scissors, a small cloth, bandages, adhesive, and small vials of medicine. Setting the box on the ground, she turned to him, soaking the cloth with a bit of water from one of the water containers that Yuuta had dragged into the tunnel.   
  
They sat in silence as Megumi cleaned his cheeks and jaw, the fire illuminating his features so she could see where cuts and bruises were forming. Once she finished with that, she instructed him to unbutton his gi so she could work on his chest and back. At first, he hesitated, but he let her do her job. It was an unusual feeling...letting someone take care of him.   
  
He hadn't let anyone else take care of any of his injuries since...well...honestly...he had gone to the hospital at the insistence of the Oniwabanshu...just after he returned from Shishio's headquarters. But after that, she had arrived to care for all the injured so a visit to the hospital hadn't been necessary. But before then...he was eight when he had injured his leg during a training exercise. Okina had taken care of that.  
  
Yuuta was nearing a hundred when Megumi began to apply stinging antiseptic solution and cover cuts with bandages. Within a few minutes, Yuuta returned with several bark pieces he was able to pry off the trees.  
  
"Good work, Yuuta," Aoshi commented. "Now..." he began positioning the pieces around her ankle for the splint, "...hold them just like this while I find something to tie..." He looked around blankly until he realized his belt, which was basically made of a long strip of cloth, would provide the best tension. "Scissors."  
  
Megumi obediently handed him her medical kit. He used the scissors to snip part of his belt off and wrapped it around her ankle.  
  
Then Aoshi sat back against the tree, apparently waiting until he could gather his strength and walk back to Aizu.  
  
Horse hooves once again filled his ears. The three were pleasantly surprised to see a police officer approaching.   
  
"I saw the smoke of your fire...is everything all right?" he asked.  
  
Aoshi saw Megumi breath a sigh of relief.  
  
  
***  
  
  
"Can you walk?" Aoshi asked as Megumi gripped his arm at the pathway leading towards the clinic.   
  
The police officer had been kind enough to let her and Yuuta ride his horse to Aizu while he and Aoshi walked. Yuuta had been dropped off at Jiro's house. His parents had been told the truth, and Jiro offered an apology to Aoshi and Megumi, who told him that they would talk more later. They were too exhausted.   
  
"I think so..." Megumi limped along with Aoshi holding her hand, his other hand at the small of her back as forms of support.   
  
The clinic lights went on and the door opened. Kei stood in the doorway in shock. Megumi looked up to see her brother hurry down the path towards her.   
  
Aoshi stepped back as Kei embraced her tightly.  
  
"Megumi-chan...you're all right...you're alive..."  
  
She blew out a breath. "I'm fine, Kei-nii, I-"  
  
"I thought I'd never see you again..." Kei muttered.   
  
"I'm fine," she repeated. But the joy on her face revealed that she was just as relieved to see him as he was seeing her.   
  
Kei stepped back, examining her, noting the crude splint on her ankle. "What happened to you?"  
  
"Ankle sprain. I'll be fine in a couple days..." She waved her hand in dismissal.   
  
"Right. Let's get that foot elevated..." Kei then turned to Aoshi and took a step toward him, not letting go of his sister's arm. "Shinomori-san...Th...Thank you for bringing her back..."  
  
Aoshi nodded once before saying, "You're welcome."  
  
"I...I'd be honored if you stayed here the remainder of your visit in Aizu...until you are ready to return to Kyoto, of course," Kei added.  
  
Aoshi glanced at Megumi, who gave him a brief smile. What was this unusual feeling? Some...Something had happened between he and Megumi during the last few days...he wasn't sure what...and he wasn't sure he wanted to speculate about it at the moment, either. All he wanted to do was rest. "Thank you..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Several days later...  
  
  
"I see. It's sad knowing what has become of my old friend...and yet...there's still hope for him..." Okina mused.  
  
Aoshi set his cup of tea down. Without even having to ask, Misao refilled it, completely absorbed in their conversation. Okina and Misao had given him a warm welcome when he arrived in Kyoto not too long ago. Okina and Aoshi had met in a quiet room of the Aoiya, where they could be free to discuss the events in Aizu.   
  
"He realized his mistake...and he knows that he can never undo what he has done, so he plans on working hard the rest of his life to support his family..." Aoshi concluded.  
  
"It's very admirable of him to do so, wouldn't you agree?" Okina chuckled.  
  
Aoshi smiled slightly. "Even more so for his family to accept him in spite of what has happened..." He had been in a similar situation not too long ago.   
  
Aoshi remained quiet while Okina finished his cup of tea. Once Okina set it down, Misao filled it halfway before realizing that her kettle was empty.  
  
"Excuse me, I'll be back with more tea and food," Misao explained, exiting the room.  
  
"Megumi-sensei gave me a list of ingredients used for the poison's antidote," Aoshi began to speak again. "Tomorrow I intend to visit the various clinics and hospitals and provide the medicine, along with a detailed report of a patient's symptoms. I was told just before I left Aizu that the group who had kidnapped her had been taken into custody...but in case the group had formed alliances with other private parties across Japan, I asked her to give me the formula. She plans on sending the formula to her different physician friends as well."  
  
"That's good to know. I'm glad that she was able to assist you."  
  
"I agree." Aoshi picked up his teacup and sipped thoughtfully. "Before I left, she also told me that she plans on attending a medical conference here in Kyoto...I..." He paused briefly, before saying, "I told her that she is more than welcome to stay here during the conference."  
  
Okina's eyebrow arched, and he glanced in the direction of the hallway. Positive that they were alone, he turned back to the young man he had once raised. With twinkling eyes, he asked, grinning, "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me about Takani Megumi?"  
  
Something flickered in the onmitsu's eyes. Instead of commenting, he merely continued to drink his tea.  
  
At that, Okina chuckled.   
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Thanks to all the readers, whether you reviewed or not, I do appreciate it. Also much thanks goes to Daiji for her enlightening emails, Girlquinn & Xiaoyu for being constant cheerleaders (tea's on you, Quinn), MemphisLong/Dan for Jiro's move list, Gracey/P.Rico/Riah for their Aoshi/Megumi fanfics (I read those before I even started E&A, thanks for the inspiration).   
  
But wait! There's more! Yup, there's gonna be a sequel. I don't plan on ending it HERE, there's SO much more I could write. Why do I get the feeling this is going to be a saga...? Anyway, until then, check out Azaleafaye's Penitence for your Aoshi/Megumi fix, and Daiji's Only the Strong to get an idea of the kind of Aoshi we'd rant about in emails.   
  
Okay, Quinn, I'm done. Tekken 4 roundrobin time... 


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